Waves
by MusicChiller34
Summary: Undertaker/OC - Running over Steve Austin's sister was a complete accident, but it turned out to be the twist of fate Undertaker needed to execute his plan. Little did he know his plan was about to backfire on himself when he actually falls for his prey. Set in 1999 - Ministry Era
1. Chapter 1

**** _Okay fellow readers and lurkers, this story I've tried revamping SEVERAL times and I think I FINALLY figured out how to do it the right way. Here's hoping you enjoy!_ ****

 **Waves**

Chapter 1

Rain poured down in gallons, which didn't happen often in the luxury city known as Las Vegas. Horns blared, people ran across the busy streets, hoping not to be clipped by a maniac taxi driver. The city never slept, it was more alive than New York ever thought about being. Lights flashed wildly on the strip, igniting the city at all hours of the day and night. It didn't matter when one stepped out to go for a walk, the lights never stopped burning bright and the casinos were always open 24/7. Very rarely did Las Vegas get rain because of the dry terrain from being on the outskirts of the Mojave Desert. There was also Red Rock Canyon, a favorite landmark for tourists. Vegas was beautiful, especially when the sun was out shining brightly.

Just not today.

Anciana sighed heavily standing at a crosswalk, looking down at her watch and saw it was a quarter to 9 AM, knowing she was going to be late for work again. Vegas traffic was unpredictable, especially when it rained because all the crazy drivers seemed to come out to play. Though her boss was getting tired of hearing the excuses, Anciana was sure of it. Her crystal blue eyes looked up at the crosswalk light, watching them change colors. When the white walk sign flicked on, Anciana immediately hurried across the street with the slew of other people and made her way to the other side, knowing if she ran the rest of the way she would barely make it to work on time. She only lived a few blocks away from work, so she walked every day, seeing no point in taking a car. However, now, Anciana wished she would invest in one so she could get to work on time for once.

Stupid traffic, she thought while stopping at another crosswalk with the blinking red light and glanced down at something that caught her eye. A mark on her pencil skirt – great. Just what Anciana needed, as if she didn't already look unprofessional enough with her Aubergine wine colored hair put up in a messy bun. She looked like a drowned rat with the rain, having forgotten to grab her umbrella on her way out the door that morning. Glancing up at the crosswalk sign, Anciana saw it had already flicked to the white walker symbol and continued on her way, deciding her boss would have to deal with her appearance.

Her thoughts were cut short as the sound of a car came to a screeching halt, Anciana barely having time to see the headlights heading towards her. It was too late. The bumper of the car crashed into her legs, forcing Anciana's body to fly in the air and coming back down, smacking her head on the windshield. She didn't even have time to scream because of how fast it happened; her body sliding off the hood of the car and landing on the concrete with another thud. Darkness quickly enveloped her as Anciana succumbed to it letting it pull her under, eyes drifting closed while pain radiated through every part of her small frame.

"OH MY GOD, SOMEONE CALL 911!" Someone screamed from their window, making the driver immediately get out of his car to kneel beside the victim.

The driver, a rather tall man, felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of the woman and slowly turned her over since she curled up, her face hidden by her arm. He stared into her beautiful face, which was now bloody due to a cut across her forehead from hitting the windshield. Sliding his hand beneath her neck and lifted it up, checking her pulse with his other, the driver sighed with relief when he felt it, but it was slow and very weak. Gently placing her head back on the ground, he stood up and looked down at his hands, starting to tremble with pure fear when he saw a red liquid covering both of them.

Blood.

It wasn't his either.

It was hers.

Mark 'the Undertaker' Calaway had rifled through this woman's belongings, scouting out her information. When the ambulance and police had arrived on the scene, he was practically in tears as he informed them what had happened. Being charged with vehicular assault was not high on his list of things to do or experience, ever. Now – now, hours after the fact, he was sitting in a long, busy hallway of one of Vegas's many hospitals, twiddling his thumbs. Long, black jean encased legs stretched out before him as he waited on Anciana's doctors to come out and tell him what was going on with her. He would be back; he now had to face a judge at a small arraignment, which… he would ensure was a matter of formality and nothing serious. Jail time, prison time, was not in his cards either. He stood up when the doors just behind to the right opened, shifting to stare down at the surgeon.

"Well?"

Doctor Horris rubbed his hands together, clearing his throat because he'd worked for hours on his patient and barely kept her alive. "Anciana has a severe concussion and some swelling on the brain. She slipped into a coma upon arrival at the hospital and we had to rush her to emergency surgery because she started crashing. We had to relieve the swell on her brain, which is why the surgery took so long. Luckily, we managed to get the swelling to go down and fixed the hemorrhage she suffered. She should recover with no problem, but we have no idea how long it will take her to regain consciousness. Her left arm is broken along with two fractured legs, which also had to be repaired surgically by our orthopedic surgeon, Doctor Matson."

Basically, in a nutshell, Anciana would be here for quite a while and then, when she was released, she would need a caretaker. Mark made a mental note to arrange for a temporary live-in nurse for the woman. She had been hit a bit harder than he had thought, apparently. "All right… who do I speak with to start settling up the bill?" Because that, on top of being here with her until she woke up, was the very least he could do.

"I'm not done, Mr. Calaway." The doctor could tell the man was a little…anxious and looked down at his chart briefly before back at the giant. "We also had to perform a third surgery, so keep in mind we had to cut into her in 3 different areas of her body. One of her ribs punctured her kidney and we had to remove it; it was unsalvageable. She can live with just one kidney though and the other one is functioning well. Other than that, it's just a lot of bumps and bruises. She did have a deep laceration on her forehead from the impact and we had it sewn up by one of our finest plastic surgeons, so she won't have a scar once it's healed. All in all, she's a tough woman and she's going to be fine, but we still have her under critical condition until the swelling in her brain goes down fully." Doctor Horris concluded, dabbing his forehead with a tissue since the room was somewhat stuffy.

Mark stared down at the physician out of narrowed, venomous eyes. "You couldn't have just said it all at once?" He asked flatly, wondering if the man liked dramatic pauses. "I'll have my card on file for her medical needs."

He hadn't gotten to see her face overly well and the damage he had seen, when he had gotten out of his car to check on her, hadn't exactly given him an understanding of what she had looked like. Mark would assume the doctors were as good as they were bragging, and she'd appear fine. He was a bit more concerned with her mental state.

"How long is the expected recovery period?"

Doctor Horris didn't appreciate the attitude this man had and squared his shoulders, narrowing his own eyes. "Mr. Calaway, with all due respect, you're the reason she's in here with all of these injuries. You're the one who struck her with your car. A little more patience on your part and sympathy will go a long way." He advised coolly, adjusting the stethoscope around his neck. "Unknown at this time due to the swelling in her brain. It can be anywhere from 3 months to years. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other patients to check on and I suggest you call a lawyer. You're going to need one when the young lady wakes up. Better to prepare yourself." He walked away, instructing his nurse to keep Anciana in ICU until he personally instructed her to be moved to a room. This young lady would be lucky if she ever woke up again and survived what happened.

Everything that doctor said was instantly dismissed. Lawyer up… not a bad idea, but not for the lawsuit or whatever else the idiot physician thought he would need it for. He ambled down the hallway, beginning to smirk as he considered options from here on out. First, Mark would set up that medical fund for his new acquisition and then make a phone call to someone who wasn't a waste of his time. Someone who would be able to tell him what he would need at home. It looked like Anciana would be a long-term investment for him and he was glad he had infinite patience when it came to things that he either wanted or interested him. All due respect, all due respect… and he hadn't even tried running. Mark had answered questions for the police, come to the hospital and had been here for eternity during her surgeries… all due respect. He snorted, flipping his ink black hair back behind his shoulder.

* * *

"Hello, is this Miss Cameria Reynolds?"

"Yeah…who's calling?"

"Miss Reynolds, this is Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center calling. We have you down as the emergency contact of Anciana June Williams. She was brought in this morning to our ER…"

Cameria didn't pay attention to anything else the receptionist at the hospital said, too busy panicking while trying to pull her tennis shoes on. The lady had explained the reasoning why she was brought into the ER, but Cameria heard nothing. Why the hell was Anciana at the hospital? The worst-case scenarios flashed through her mind while Cameria flew out the door, grabbing her purse she knew had everything in it she would need. Of course, it would be down pouring on the ONE day Cameria had to speed to the hospital! Something told her Anciana was in bad shape, especially if the hospital was contacting her. It definitely wasn't a stubbed toe or anything of that caliber. Whatever happened was bad; Cameria jumped into her car and floored it out of the parking garage of the apartment building they lived in, tears stinging her midnight blue eyes.

Being nearly 10 years apart in age did nothing to destroy the bond Anciana and Cameria had. From the moment they met 2 years ago, there was an instant connection not a lot of people could understand. Anciana had walked into the bar Cameria worked for at the time, asking for a double scotch on the rocks. She looked to be having a hard day and presented her ID, keeping her eyes lowered to the bar counter. Cameria poured her the drink, asked her if she wanted to talk about what was bothering her and their friendship grew from there. There were nights they closed the bar down leaning against each other, laughing so hard tears streamed down their cheeks. Neither were alcoholics, but it definitely helped each of them spill some pretty embarrassing and dark stories about their pasts.

It helped Cameria get past a dark point in her life, something she was still suffering through, thanks to her self-proclaimed ex-dirt bag of a husband. 2 months into their newfound friendship, Anciana got to meet the douchebag refusing to relinquish his hold on Cameria. He stormed into the bar at midnight and demanded Cameria to give him a ride home, stone cold drunk. Cameria had a few drinks in her already and didn't feel comfortable drinking and driving, but she didn't want her husband causing a ruckus at her job. Anciana stopped her, offering to drive him and was pie-faced for her troubles when she tried stepping between Cameria and the dirtbag. A few seconds later, Anciana had whirled him around, kicked him in the gut and delivered a DDT to the hard-wooden floor of the bar, knocking him out cold.

That was the night Cameria vowed to never get on Anciana's bad side and she found out what her newfound friend wanted to do for a living.

Anciana ran away from home at the tender age of 16, skipping out on her high school education in order to make her dream of becoming a professional woman wrestler come true. Her father forbade her to pursue the same life he did as a professional wrestler, wanting something better for his daughter, but Anciana was steadfast. Wrestling was in her blood. All she ever wanted was to step foot inside the squared circle and kick some major backside, to prove to the world, as well as her family, she could do it. If Anciana wanted to tell her, she would've and 5 years later, she still didn't know which family. Hell, Cameria didn't care where Anciana originated from and considered her a little sister, always having her back the same way Anciana had hers.

After the incident with Cameria's soon-to-be ex-husband, she was fired from the bar and evicted from her apartment. Anciana came to her rescue again, offering her to move in and they could be roommates once she got back on her feet. It was hard living in Las Vegas and Cameria had cried, thanking her for being so kind opening her life and home to her. Anciana claimed at that moment they were more than friends, they were sisters and nobody would change that. She would find a way to help Cameria get out of her marriage, which made her decide to get a job as an administrative assistant to one of the most brilliant lawyers Vegas had to offer. They took on Cameria's divorce case and Anciana had paid for it out of pocket, telling her roommate not to worry about it. So far, they had dragged their feet with the divorce proceedings, but hopefully, it wouldn't be too much longer before Cameria was finally a free single woman.

It was Cameria's turn to be there for Anciana as she broke out of her thoughts, wiping the tears away. She couldn't think the worse because, if she did, her world would crumble. Anciana had kept her grounded for the past 2 years and Cameria had no idea what would happen if she lost her little sister. Whoever hurt her would pay dearly and possibly with their own life if anything happened to Anciana.

"I'm coming Ani, just hang in there, girl…"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Mark was not surprised one whit when that woman, with the weird name he hadn't bothered learning to pronounce, was finally called in. Finally. He had gone out of his way to befriend and charm every nurse on this floor, from every shift, though that initial physician and him… well, they were never going to exchange holiday cards, that was for sure. He had also spent an insane amount of time on the phone with his confidante, arranging for what Anciana would need when she was eventually released and wondering just what kind of woman he was about to be dealing with. Sighing, he slumped back in the chair next to the bed Anciana lay in, glancing at her, or what he could see of her.

The moment Cameria walked inside the ICU room to see her best friend and saw a giant at her bedside, she immediately became defensive. "What the fuck is he doing in here?" The doctor had informed her what happened, including how Anciana's injuries came about by being struck by a car by Mr. Calaway. "I don't want him in here. Get him out of here NOW." She ordered the nurse, pointing at the door with fire in her dark midnight blues.

"Ma'am, I…" The nurse had been charmed by Mr. Calaway and she didn't want to get on his bad side, hesitating. "I don't think…"

"I. SAID. NOW." Cameria ordered, immediately going to Anciana's side and took her hand, tears welled in her eyes at the horrific condition her sister was in. "It's because of you that she's here. This is your fault and you have no right to be here! NOW GET OUT!"

The nurse sighed heavily, seeing the woman would not listen to reason and decided to go retrieve Doctor Horris to speak with her. "Mr. Calaway, please step outside until Doctor Horris gets here. I've paged him and hopefully, he can smooth things over."

"Not fucking likely. Fucking prick." Cameria hissed, glaring at the nurse and already had plans to replace her with someone who HADN'T been charmed by this asshole.

It was hilarious, he mused awhile later, how Cameria thought she was going to start harassing all these poor nurses and try getting them to change out, on every shift. Obviously, this woman was an idiot, who didn't realize that nurses were, unfortunately, usually, overworked and underpaid. Quite frankly, there weren't enough available nurses to be switching around considering most of them worked this floor for a reason. So, they stayed, and so did Mark, though he was polite enough to remain in the hallway. Not that that stopped him from hearing her harpy shrieking when she didn't get her way.

"If you don't stop shrieking, ma'am, we're going to have to ask you to leave. There are other patients on this floor."

He might've been a prick, but he was a quiet one, who didn't think he was running a hospital floor.

Cameria called the police on Mark Calaway to find out what would be done about this. He struck a pedestrian because he wasn't paying attention to his driving. He blew a red light! Cameria knew the streets Anciana took to walk every morning and every one of them had a stop sign. So, this prick hadn't been paying attention while driving and struck her! It wasn't an accident, it was vehicular assault and she wanted something done about it. She wanted justice for her friend!

After getting off the phone with the Chief of police, who promised to look further into this since it was still being investigated, Cameria did not leave Anciana's side. She refused to allow Mark Calaway in the room, even after Doctor Horris tried smoothing things over. Cameria wouldn't harp on the nurses as long as they did ONE thing right and that was keeping the Neanderthal out of Anciana's room. Being her emergency contact, and the only person she knew in Las Vegas, no family contacts at all, she had some power to say who and who couldn't enter the room. Mark Calaway could sit his ass out in the hallway all he wanted and stew for all she cared. He wasn't coming back into this room unless it was over her dead body.

This woman was a colossal pain in his ass.

Mark spent more time with the police, his story never changed, and obviously… the investigation had never stopped, so… her calling the chief was asinine. He had admitted what he had done and, the only reason his backside wasn't in jail was that he had posted his own bail, he was still in Vegas because he was waiting for the arraignment, which would determine whether or not anything would be preceding. His own lawyer reminded him to mind his Ps and Qs, keep up the medical funding, and just relax because he was being paid quite well to do whatever was needed to keep Mark's ass a free man. It became very obvious that Cameria wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, so he began doing what he did best, plotting. Within a few days… he was in his usual perch outside the room, Cameria in there with the still unconscious Anciana. Even he winced when a somewhat inebriated man hauled his backside down the hallway, watching the idiot intently, then he hid a smirk. He was pretty good about entertaining himself.

"Cami, honey, we gotta talk!"

The drunken ass was in Anciana's room, which he had been barred from, but that did not stop Mark from standing in the doorway, massive arms folded over his chest, eyes narrowed as Cameria's jaw hit the floor and the buffoon began… bawling at her.

Cameria had a restraining order against her soon-to-be ex-husband and narrowed her eyes at the bawling idiot, simply hitting the security button. Then she called the police chief to inform him Travis had broken the restraining order and the man was hauled off in cuffs. Doctor Horris arrived and everything was explained with Cameria in near tears over the incident. He hugged the woman, letting her know everything would be alright and they would tighten security on this floor.

Luckily, Anciana had been moved from ICU or else Cameria would've been ejected from the building. She sat back down beside Anciana, stroking her hair and held her hand again, fresh tears falling. The doctor told her the swelling had gone down immensely in Anciana's brain, but now her body needed time to recover and heal from all the injuries and surgeries she'd had done. The woman was lucky to be alive and the fact Mark Calaway hadn't left did not sit well with Cameria. She hoped the judge threw his ass in jail and some measure of justice came to Anciana for the vehicular assault. She had absolutely nothing to say to the giant pain in HER ass that wouldn't leave the hospital.

Unfortunately for Cameria, judgment day arrived, and he was fined to hell and back, which wasn't overly bothersome. Mark was also sentenced to a type of probation and, if he so much as got a parking ticket, he would lose his license. He was ordered to a lot of community service, which his lawyer then litigated via his career. Considering he went overseas to perform for soldiers stationed in other countries, it was waived almost instantly. The fact that he had remained on scene, cooperated the way he had, and now was financially caring for Anciana's medical bills, which were rapidly piling up, hadn't hurt his cause at all. He had a feeling Cameria would have an aneurysm and refused to pay for that bitch's treatment.

The justice system was a piece of shit! First, they didn't do anything besides grant a pathetic restraining order to her ABUSIVE soon-to-be ex-husband after he beat and raped her for several years and now…now her friend, her sister, had been hit by a fucking car by this giant asshole and he'd gotten a slap on the damn wrist! Money truly did talk. Cameria felt sick to her stomach, not getting much sleep for the past several weeks because she'd been keeping a close eye on Anciana. She'd dozed off a little here and there, used the bathroom to shower to keep herself clean, but other than that, she hadn't left.

Their landlord had been kind enough to bring both of them clothes – they trusted Harriet, an older woman with a kind heart and soul. Hospital food sucked, but luckily, they had a cafeteria she ordered from. Due to the divorce, she had a nest-egg built up to live off of until Anciana was out of here and back home. Her job and life could wait…Anciana was the most important person in her life and she wouldn't leave her, she would be there for her the same way Anciana was there for her.

As time went on, Mark was disappearing, usually on Mondays, but he was always back the next day. A little tired sure, but Tuesday by noon, his big backside was planted in that chair outside Anciana's room. The nurses were at this point used to him and the roses he brought for each nurse's station. Every few days, fresh roses were brought up to Anciana's room and he had enough spare time to thoroughly be nosy. Cameria thought he was dirt, he thought she was a royal bitch, who was forever ruined for all men. She was also losing weight, he had noticed, leaning in the doorway, staring down at the sleeping woman, her head resting next to Anciana's leg.

It was that day Anciana finally woke up – 3 months later. All of her injuries had healed up in that amount of time, but she would need extensive physical therapy due to her legs being fractured along with her arm. A soft groan escaped her as crystal blue eyes slowly opened, blurred vision becoming clear. Before her stood possibly the BIGGEST man Anciana had ever seen in her life. The heart machine began beeping faster as her adrenaline increased, despite being asleep for 3 months. Who the hell was this guy? Where the hell was she? Anciana swallowed hard, looking down at her leg where a sickly-looking woman slept.

"W-What's going on?" She rasped out, her throat incredibly dry from being intubated, extubated and lack of fluids. The IV in her arm prevented her from being dehydrated, but her throat felt like it was on fire. "W-Water…"

As Cameria was still coming out of her sleep, Mark took advantage to fill a paper cup with water from the Culligan water machine and was there, crouching down on the side opposite Cameria, holding out the cup. One hand steadying the cup before her lips, the other moved to hit the button to call in a nurse. "Slowly, darlin'." He rumbled, adjusting his deep, dark baritone to something soft and quiet, watching as her weak, fluttering hands came up to try cradling the cup herself. "Tiny drinks, Anciana." He was well aware that Cameria was completely up now, though his vivid emerald gaze was fastened on crystalline blue.

This man had a lot of brass balls coming in here and talking to Anciana the way he was! Cameria opened her mouth to rip him a verbal asshole and clamped it shut, buzzing for the doctor to come check on her friend instead. Plenty of time for ass chewing later.

"T-Thank you…" Anciana whispered, once she'd downed the entire cup slowly and couldn't take her eyes off the gentle giant. "W-Where am I?"

"The hospital, sweetie," Cameria spoke up before Calaway could, frowning at the unfamiliarity in Anciana's eyes. "Ani, it's Cami, you know me, right?"

Frowning, Anciana tried racking her brain and came up empty, shaking her head slowly. "No…I-I don't. I don't even know who I am…"

Tears filled her eyes as Cameria glared hatefully across the way at Mark, gritting her teeth. "W-What? Anciana – your name is Anciana and I call you Ani for short. We're best friends and roommates…we…"

Anciana could tell the woman was upset and felt tears of her own well up in her eyes, nothing except fear filling her crystalline eyes. "I-I'm sorry…" She whispered out, looking up when the door opened and a man in a long white coat walked in.

Swallowing down her own emotions, Cameria stayed beside her friend and let the doctor check Anciana over.

She had a severe case of amnesia! Mark was giggling like a schoolgirl on the inside. The heartbroken expression on Cameria's face was hilarious, though he was a master at showing only what he wanted or needed too, which meant he was looking both grave and a hint sorrowful at the doctor. They were now out in the hallway while Anciana was being tended to by nurses, the door shut to give her a hint of privacy, as well as a moment alone to process what she had just been told. Cameria shot him a nasty look; he didn't blame her because, right now, she was a nobody, nothing, to Anciana.

"What are the odds of memory recall?" He asked finally.

Doctor Horris frowned, looking back at his patient and then at the giant along with the peeved best friend, shaking his head. "It's hard to say. She may never recover her memory, Mr. Calaway." He didn't know why the next set of words came out of his mouth since he wasn't fond of Mr. Calaway, but the young lady would need a lot of help going forward. Emotionally, mentally, physically…all of it. "You did this to her, Mr. Calaway, as you're well aware, so I think it would be best if…she went home with you for the duration of her recovery."

"WHAT?!" Cameria snapped, her mouth dropping open and shook her head. "No! Absolutely not, she doesn't know him!"

"She doesn't know you either, Cameria. From my understanding, your living conditions are…less than appealing. I know she doesn't know him, which is why I'm suggesting, strongly, to lie to her, at least until we figure out if her memory will return or not."

Cameria felt her eyes widen, glaring daggers at the giant and folded her arms tightly in front of her chest. "Lie to her HOW exactly?"

"Being her…boyfriend wouldn't suffice. It wouldn't be good enough for you to take her home, Mr. Calaway. You will need a more…suitable relationship with the young lady. Basically, you need to tell her you're married."

This doctor had lost his fucking mind!

"Cameria, I'm sorry for this, but the fact of the matter is, we're unsure if her memory will ever return. Even with stimuli and familiar faces, it might not do anything and, right now, Mr. Calaway has paid for all her medical fees. From my understanding, he has planned for in-home nursing and whatever else Anciana may need. Can you provide all of that?"

No, of course, she couldn't. Mark was frowning, however. "Married?" He echoed, for once sounding like he agreed with Cameria. "And if she does get her memory back? What then?"

"I'm sorry to say, but that is a big if. And quite frankly, you're in a position to financially support her if she requires extensive, long-term care."

"Fine."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"You can't do this to her! She doesn't even know him! He could be a rapist, a murderer! He RAN HER OVER with a fucking car because he wasn't paying attention to the road!" Cameria was beside herself, yelling at the doctor as tears of frustration poured down her cheeks. "I don't care what it costs, I'll help her! Don't send her away with this lunatic! We have no idea what kind of person he is!" Everybody had lost their minds – the justice system as well as the healthcare providers and doctors…This was a losing battle and she was about to lose the only friend she'd ever had in her life. "Please don't take her away…I'll care for her, I'll get 3 jobs if that's what it takes! We can do the in-home nursing here in Vegas, there's no need to send her with him, Doctor Horris."

Cameria made several valid points as Doctor Horris sighed resignedly, not sure what more he could do for his patient at this point. "And what if your 3 jobs can't provide the financial stability Anciana needs along with medical and long-term care? Do you really think you're in any position to deal with it considering you have your own battle to overcome with your husband?" That stunt her husband had pulled in the hospital a few months ago had forced the hospital to hire more security for this particular floor. "You need to see reason, Cameria. Anciana may never be the same Anciana you knew again, and you need to come to terms with it. I'm sorry."

"Now, if you promise to stop being… overly loud…" Not his first choice in words, but Mark could play nice. "You can come too, Cameria." He hadn't bothered using her name, until now, and his tongue felt scraped raw. "And I find it absurd that you honestly believe Horris hasn't had my background examined." He shot Horris a piercing stare. "Especially as he's suggesting I pretend I'm married to her."

"Well… obviously, we needed to know… and you were being investigated, so we learned quite a bit…"

"In-home nursing is expensive and, if she needs equipment, will your-"

"Apartment."

"Be able to house everything?"

There was zero trust when it came to this brute, but Cameria knew fully well the apartment wasn't safe. The floors were rotting through due to termites, amongst other unhealthy problems. It was home and in the slums…they couldn't afford anything else. Living in Las Vegas wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Again, it was home and they were about to rip home away from Anciana.

"No…" She admitted reluctantly, knowing she'd been defeated and Anciana's fate was now in the giant's hands. "I don't want anything from you except to stay away from Anciana, but I know that's not going to happen. That's fine, you can live this lie all you want, but I know her. She will regain her memory and when she does…hell WILL be brought down on you for what you did to her, Mr. Calaway. She'll contact me when those memories resurface, mark my words." Glancing through the window one final time, Cameria made her way out of the hospital and let the tears flow, feeling more alone than ever.

Anciana had no idea what was going on, so when she was told she was married to this giant man named Mark Calaway, she was more than a little intimidated.

He left Anciana alone for a bit longer, mostly to handle some business. So that was what it took to get that shrew bitch out of his hair… Mark should've thought of this himself. "Dr. Horris… I live in Houston." At the other man's nod, he smiled. "I would like for you to recommend who you believe will be a suitable candidate to take over Anciana's primary care." Since Horris was obviously not coming with him. "I'd appreciate your opinion."

"I'll get you a list, I can think of a few doctors…"

Mark had also procured two plain bands, via one of Vegas's couriers. Used. Not too used, but used, to give the impression of being married longer than… 3 hours. Her ring would be slipped in her purse, which was in a footlocker with the rest of her belongings. He slid the ring on his own finger and decided it was time to go meet his blushing bride, smirking.

A blushing bride she was not.

Confused, flabbergasted and annoyed were better terms to describe how Anciana currently felt. She knew absolutely nothing about her life, but still remembered how to use the bathroom and whatnot. The necessities. Amnesia was really weird. Apparently, she forgot everything regarding her name and family, friends…stuff like that, but as far as writing and showering, cleansing herself, had all stuck with her. The doctor assured her it was normal, especially since she'd suffered such a horrific accident and head trauma. Doctor Horris hadn't told her what exactly happened to her, waiting for her 'husband' to get back. He felt she would need his support and, truthfully, she didn't know. Her head snapped up when the door opened at that giant she had woken up to walked inside, carrying a bag in his hand. Her eyes instantly lowered from him to stare at the blanket covering her legs, chewing her lip thoughtfully.

Amnesia was a mental problem, a mental one, and those physical things such as wiping your own backside were physical things that were trained in the body. Physical responses. Those were a bit harder to reprogram, he imagined. Sighing, Mark moved over to take the chair Cameria had practically yanked from him, setting the bag on his lap. Anciana looked… well, like she had just come out of a coma. She was going to be weak, scrawny, gaunt, for a while. Nothing some Texas sunshine wouldn't fix.

"Now darlin'," He spoke in that slow, low, and infinitely patient voice of his. "I know you don't remember anything or anyone, but if you got any questions you want to ask, I'll answer them and maybe we can jog your memory." He reached out to gently place his hand on her knee, feeling her stiffen. "My name is Mark, Anciana." He added a hint of sadness in his tone.

After all, he was her husband and she had forgotten all about him.

"Mark…" Anciana said it slowly as if feeling it out to see if anything jogged her memory. Nothing did though. "Mark." This time, it was said with a little more confidence. "I like that name, I think."

She smiled sheepishly, tucking a strand of wine/blondish colored hair behind her ear. Due to her being in a coma for 3 months, the roots of her natural hair color had sprouted, which was blonde. Her crystalline eyes gazed at him, studying his ruggedly handsome face and found her heart doing a weird flip in her chest.

"It's nice to meet you, Mark." Extending her hand, his practically swallowed hers whole and she cracked another smile before gently pulling away. "T-The doctor said he'll be in soon to tell me what exactly happened." She had no idea the truth would be changed in order to make Mark completely innocent.

Mark sighed at that, pretty sure Horris would have some crazy explanation that would be an even bigger lie than this marriage. He'd rectify the marriage bit, in for a penny – in for a pound, he supposed. It was always better to mix lies with the truth because they went farther.

"Darlin'… you were hit by a car." He said quietly, watching her eyebrows draw together. "I… I was the driver." He could feel her hand convulsing in his. "It was an accident, Ciana." He did not like Ani, it was far too plain for this beauty. "It was raining, and I was coming to get you to give you a ride." He pulled his hand away from her, burying his face in his own hands for a minute, shaking his head before looking at her. "You usually walked, it's not that far a walk and it never rains here, but it was that morning…" There. Truth. Lie.

Horris was in the doorway listening, which gave the doctor his cue to add his explanation.

"But I…what?" Anciana made no move to comfort him, in too much shock by this revelation and looked up as Doctor Horris entered the room. "I-Is this true? He ran me over with a car?"

"Accidentally, yes." Doctor Horris was shocked by Mark's truthfulness and figured he'd judged the man wrong, thought less of him than he should've. "The roads were slick, it was raining really hard outside that day, Anciana. The brakes…they got stuck on the rental car he was driving. Your husband travels for work, you see. That day, he was coming to see you on his day off and wanted to take you to work, but you'd already left. He was catching up to you when it happened."

"He travels for work?" Anciana blinked, looking back at her 'husband' and folded her hands in her lap. "W-What's your job, Mark?"

"I'm a professional wrestler, darlin'." He informed her, staring at her intently as she took in his size and build with renewed interest. "My schedule keeps me pretty busy, on the road a lot." Mark took a deep breath, glancing at Horris, who was giving him a very odd look, almost as if he were revising his opinion. If only they knew. "We have a place in Houston, but you came here to stay with Cameria." At her confused look, he smiled gently. "The woman who was here, your friend? She's going through a pretty bad divorce and she hasn't been doing so well." He had done the whole nine yards, lies and truth – always the best way to get away with something.

"Actually, that's not entirely true." Cameria stood in the doorway of the hospital room, having thought long and hard about this ridiculous idea of Doctor Horris' and concluded he was right. Anciana would need a lot of medical help going forward now that she was awake and Cameria simply didn't have the funds to do it. "You and the big guy here haven't known each other very long. You met at the bar I used to work at, hit it off really well and…well, this IS Vegas. You two wound up going to an all-night wedding chapel about a month ago and got married. I didn't want you being alone in Houston, so I offered to have you stay with me while he's on the road. On his days off, he comes to get you and you fly with him to Houston before taking a flight back here once he goes back on the road."

"Really?" For some reason, Anciana trusted this woman and she had no idea why. Mark…not so much, not yet. "We…got married at a chapel…what's that called?"

"Eloped."

"Yeah, that."

"Yes, you eloped with his giant ass, nearly gave me a heart attack…" Cameria joked, trying to inject humor into her tone and squeezed Anciana's hand. "He didn't win any brownie points by hitting you with his car, but…it was an accident." Boy did that leave a bitter taste in her mouth. "He didn't mean it and he…loves you. You love him." More bitterness. "And he WILL take care of you…something I can't do right now."

Anciana giggled somewhat hoarsely at the 'giant ass' comment, nodding slowly. "Okay…you live here in Vegas then?"

"Yeah, but…after you're better, maybe you can come back here while he's on the road or something. Or maybe I'll come see you while he's on the road. We'll make it work somehow, okay?" Cameria's heart broke at the confused understanding in Anciana's eyes, wanting desperately to tell her the truth, but…all she could do was support what the doctor wanted to do.

"Okay…" Her eyes finally looked at Mark, who seemed a little…shocked by what was said from Cameria. "So, when can I get out of here and go home with you?"

Mark decided to let it slide that Cameria was, in fact, going through a shitty divorce and the idiot had even been here. That was all on him though, early on, figuring to needle the harpy bitch, who made his ears bleed. As it was, Miss Cameria was about to be left behind because he had offered once to let her come with them, she shot it down, and that ship had sailed.

"That is entirely up to Dr. Horris." He said quietly. "He's making recommendations for a new primary in Houston," Which also had some superb, top of the line hospitals. "And it'll take some time to coordinate with whichever hospital he deems fit to work for you." Not that he cared, money wasn't a major concern.

"Okay…" Anciana didn't know what else to say or how to think about this entire situation, laying her head back on the pillow.

"A few days should be more than enough time to find you suitable doctors in Houston, Anciana. You'll be out of here soon." Doctor Horris assured her, having a feeling the giant wanted out of this hospital and he didn't blame him. "Are you hungry?"

Her stomach growled at that moment, her cheeks turning somewhat red. "I guess I am…"

"Nothing too heavy, stick to soup and lighter food like yogurt and applesauce. You have to train your body all over again."

"Okay, thank you Doctor Horris."

"I'll go get you something from the cafeteria." There was no way Cameria would let her wait for the nurses to take their sweet time bringing her food. "I'll be back."

She and Mark were left alone.

Mark leaned back in his chair, studying Anciana just as intently as she was him. He knew he was a physically imposing man and he was wearing a long-sleeved, lightweight black button up shirt, cuffed at the wrists, which hid his tattoo-sleeved arms. He figured he'd wait before springing that one on her. Long, jet black hair, standing 6'10, pale as he possibly could be, with inky facial hair… he wasn't normal, by any means.

"I've taken some time off to stay home with you." He informed her, not that Mark hadn't already taken a very reduced schedule and had only been doing Monday nights. That would continue for a while because he wanted to maintain his presence on Raw Is War and one of the many reasons he was bringing in around the clock nurses. "Darlin', I'm so sorry."

"It was an accident, right?" At his nod, she smiled softly and extended her hand to him, her eyes soft and warm. "There's nothing to be sorry for, then. This could've happened to anyone. I'm still here, just hard to believe I was out cold for 3 months." Anciana blinked, realizing for the first time she'd missed 3 months of her life besides the accident. 3 months was a lot of time and she wondered what all she'd missed in all that time. "So, you're a wrestler and you travel. Tell me more about it." For some reason, in the far recesses of her mind, the words professional wrestling sent tingles through her body. That was definitely a sign she knew what it was, but the amnesia refused to let her remember. "I don't know why, but I want to know more about it."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Now that was a topic Mark could go on for hours, though he also knew certain things to omit. Just things that might make one of those eyebrows on her beautifully gaunt face arch. He began describing how professional wrestling, the way he did it, the company he worked for, was different than wrestling in college, high school, or the Olympics. She seemed to be… very, very interested in wrestling. By the time Cameria returned with the food, Anciana was even smiling and laughing softly. He had been describing some of the wrestlers and their 'characters' to her. Harmless names, harmless characters, nothing like what he was. Some of these characters Mark told her about sounded out of this world and made her laugh, which felt good. Not laughing for 3 months couldn't be good on the human body. She asked him about his character and Mark had gotten quiet, asking her if she truly wanted to know.

"Yes of course. You're my husband, so I want to know everything about you…again."

Anciana assumed she knew a lot about him prior to getting married, even though it sounded like they had a whirlwind romance. This man was gorgeous from head to toe, the black hair only making him more appealing and attractive. Something about Mark made a small twinge form in her mind and heart, Anciana figuring that was the wall that prevented her from remembering all their good times. Mark was reluctant because his character wasn't everyone's cup of tea and, while she was definitely going to find out about his… alter ego, so to speak, he wasn't in a hurry for that to happen yet. Admittedly, he was mildly curious about how Anciana had been prior to him running her pert little ass over, but… he would take what was now in his figurative lap.

"You're looking tired, darlin'." He stood up, moving out of Cameria's way, so she could set up the tray and all that. It was odd, he thought, how she had been 'sleeping' for the past 3 months and a short conversation had left her looking tired and worn out. Mark knew it would take time for her to adjust and moved away from the women, though his thoughtful gaze never left his 'wife'.

After Anciana fell back to sleep and Cameria knew she wouldn't wake up, her eyes fell on Mark, who was watching the sleeping beauty. "You better take care of her." She spoke in a low voice, trying to inject malice into it, but all that came out was exhaustion and defeat. "She means a lot to me…and, if anything happens to her, I WILL hurt you. I don't care how big and bad you think you are. You better take care of my little sister. She's a good kid and deserves only the best. And I know you don't like me and, quite frankly, I don't like you either, but if you could, please have her call me once in a while to check in. That's basically all I want." When he nodded stiffly at her, Cameria stood up from the chair and leaned over to brush her lips against Anciana's forehead. "I'll be back tomorrow to talk to her some more, try to jog her memory. You should get some rest, Mark. Good night." Then she walked out, closing the door behind her and headed home with more tears falling down her cheeks.

That was… weird, very weird, Mark mused, moving to sort of curl himself into the armchair in the corner. The nurses had brought it in for Cameria since he had been regulated to the hallway. Catching naps in the waiting lounge had been both uncomfortable and awkward, given his size. He leaned back, eyes never leaving the woman in the hospital bed. All the arrangements on his end had been made today; he was simply waiting on Dr. Horris. Mark had called in an old friend to assist and, with the around-the-clock personal nurses, he figured she'd be back on her feet in no time. Her memory, on the other hand… he knew right now, as curious as he was about who she was before he had basically erased her, he didn't want her to regain her memory.

Not now.

Maybe not ever.

* * *

Three days later, after making considerate progress and eating regular foods, along with rebuilding her strength, Anciana was released from the hospital. Mark took her out in the wheelchair and lifted her, placing her in the passenger seat of the car. She buckled up, still feeling somewhat weak, which was to be expected, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Mark already had their flights scheduled to Houston and she couldn't wait to sleep in a proper bed. Hospital beds weren't comfortable, even in a 5-star hospital.

Cameria called earlier that morning, wishing her well and hoped she kept in contact, which Anciana planned on doing. Cameria was her best friend…even if she couldn't remember their friendship. They were taking a private jet – Mark's boss had insisted on it due to what happened – and it was luxurious, to say the least. Anciana wound up sleeping throughout the flight, leaning her head against Mark's shoulder and his arm around her, soaking in his warmth.

All things considered, this was turning out better than he had expected. Anciana had no family, at least none that she had spoken to in years, from what he had learned, so about the only person he would have to worry about for some time to come was Cameria. However, there was considerable distance between Vegas and Houston and Cameria had missed more than enough work. She would need to start saving again. And if she became a pain in his ass again, he might run her over next. When the private jet finally landed, Anciana was still asleep and he disembarked with her in his arms, leaving their scant luggage to the flight attendants. He had already arranged for a ride home, something roomy for her to lay out in, knowing she was still rather weak. Glancing down into her sleeping face, Mark studied her intently, his own eyes hidden by the sunglasses he was now wearing.

The small diamond on her left ring finger caught the sunlight glinted in the sunlight shining through the tinted window. It was Mark's Ford F-250 truck that he left at the airport when he came to Vegas. WWF was in Vegas the day Mark had struck her down with his car and he'd missed that show, for obvious reasons. Anciana didn't wake up until later that day in a huge, heavenly bed. She slowly opened her eyes, smiling softly at the note on the pillow beside her along with an apple. Mark was outside working and if she needed anything, all she had to do was page him.

Along with the apple and note was a brand-new pager. Hers had been destroyed during the accident. Slowly sitting up, Anciana took a bite out of the apple and sighed softly, looking around the unfamiliar room. The sheets and comforter were black; she wondered briefly if Mark would mind having a few things changed around the house, more specifically their bedroom. After the apple was demolished, Anciana slid out of bed and padded her way downstairs, taking her time since she was still weak.

In anticipation of her eventually realizing his house was not set up for a woman, and to maintain the 'marriage' lie they had fed her -at least until it was no longer a lie, he was working on that-, Mark had his associates procure some personal items from Cameria prior to Anciana's release to put around the place. They had established she had been 'staying' with Cameria, but month-long marriage or not, it would be a good assumption on her part to assume she had been here before, even if not to stay permanently. So, scattered throughout were tiny things of hers, spare used toothbrush in the bathroom alongside his, things of that nature. He had committed himself to this thoroughly.

Anciana enjoyed the small, yet spacious home she shared with Mark, noticing little trinkets and whatnot that belonged to a woman. It had to be her. She remembered what he'd said about traveling a lot and her staying in Vegas with Cameria while he was on the road. It was obvious she hadn't spent much time here, but that would change now that she was on the road to recovery. Her legs…surprisingly, she didn't need much physical therapy. It was like riding a bike to walk again and she'd gotten the hang of it before leaving the hospital. She still had to hold onto stuff like the wall and counters, but for the most part, Anciana had it down.

Making her way to the window, Anciana saw how beautiful it was and the stretch of land they lived on, wondering what Mark was doing outside. Some fresh air would do her some good, so she opened the door and stepped out, sighing in contentment at how warm the sun felt against her skin. It'd been a long time since she felt the sun and been outside for more than a few minutes at a time.

Mark was busy digging a narrow trench outward from the house towards the septic tank. He had bought the house and immediately began renovating to suit his own rather unusual, somewhat peculiar tastes. When he was home, he liked doing the work; it was a great way to exercise and he rather liked the pride he felt, the satisfaction, knowing he had gotten his hands personally involved. He wore just a pair of black, skin-tight jeans and work boots, his hair pulled back into a tail at the base of his neck, blue bandana around his head and shades on, along with copious amounts of sunscreen because he wasn't burning and hadn't been tanned in years. Mark caught movement out of the corner of his eye and straightened up, head turning in her direction.

"I-I know you said to page, but…I wanted some fresh air." Anciana explained shyly, tucking a strand of blondish, wine hair behind her ear.

Cameria had pointed out she needed a dye job, but honestly, it looked somewhat like an Ombre style with the blonde and wine. Anciana rather liked it and decided to keep it for the time being. She looked past him at what he was doing, arching a brow and moved her gaze back to him, trying to stop her heart from racing. For the first time, Anciana noticed he had tattoos from shoulder to wrist, though the sleeves still had a few spots to be inked. They made him even more handsome if that was possible.

"It's beautiful out here, Mark."

Hearing his name from her lips, especially how easy it seemed to be coming to her today, brought a rare smile to his own thin mouth. "It is, darlin'." He chuckled, nodding his head in agreement and moved to lean the shovel up against the house before filling in space between them. At the same time, he was mindful to give her room. "One of the reasons I picked the place." Another, he really liked his privacy. "How're you feeling?" And how the hell was she up and walking? His eyes dropped to her legs, knowing she would wear her little pert ass out.

While Anciana was in a coma, the hospital made sure to work her arms and legs on a daily basis to prevent muscle atrophy as well as losing her muscle mass. She was muscular compared to other women, but not too much to where she wasn't feminine. "Better than I was, that's for sure," Anciana remarked with a smile, shrugging her shoulders and looked up at the sky, closing her eyes to let the sun warm her skin. "This feels so nice being outside and not in a hospital bed. I can't stay in bed anymore."

It was driving her crazy; she had no idea what she did prior to this, but her body looked to be physically in shape. It was strange…Cameria hadn't said anything about what she'd done prior to the accident either, only that she'd married Mark and stayed with her whenever he was gone. For a very good reason since Mark Calaway was a professional wrestler and more than likely worked with Anciana's family.

"I am hungry, are you?"

"Got lunch sitting in the fridge, just needs to be heated up," Mark informed her, surveying her thoughtfully. If she wanted, he'd haul out one of the lounge chairs from the garage and let her bask in the sun for as long as she wanted. "Come on, I could use a break." He bent down to retrieve his t-shirt, using it to mop sweat off himself before wrapping his arm gently but firmly around her shoulders, drawing her into his side and bent down to drop a kiss on the top of her head.

Why did it feel foreign to have him kiss the top of her head? Didn't husbands do that with their wives? At least he was affectionate and showed her kindness, she must've picked well and seen something special in him. Through the gothic look he had going on was a strong, sweet man who had taken great care of her. Granted, he'd been the one who ran her down, but…Anciana found herself forgiving him easily. Probably due to the fact that they were married and somewhere, in her recesses of her mind, she did love him. Why would she marry him if she didn't?

"What did you make?" She asked while they ventured back inside the house, leaning against his side.

"Potato soup." He shrugged when she gave him a pensive look. "Don't cook often, but when I do, it's usually something filling."

Also, he was having a cheat day: starch and carbs. Mark guided her to the kitchen, gesturing to the small table in the corner. Strong but sturdy, it had to be to hold his weight. Fluttering around would be one of the nurses, though he was also paying them well to remain unseen and out of his hair unless their services were required.

"You'll have to do some physical therapy, darlin'." He instructed, his back to her as he began warming up the soup. "Though the way you're getting around tells me not too much."

"Yeah, Doctor Horris said the same thing." Anciana grinned, nodding at the physical therapy comment and inhaled the aroma of the potato soup once a bowl was set down in front of her. "This smells wonderful, Mark." She dipped the spoon into the soup and held it up to her mouth, a thoughtful frown suddenly crossing her face. "What else did I call you besides by your name? I know there's…terms that couples use with each other. Did I call you baby or sweetie or something like that?" She'd noticed he'd called her darlin' a few times, his southern drawl seeping into his somewhat dark toned voice.

Mark could think of a fair few things he wouldn't mind her calling him and he couldn't keep the darkly amused grin from flickering across his face. "Don't like being called baby… or sweetie…" He informed her, that wasn't so amusing. Mark wasn't letting anyone call him 'baby'. He'd have to run her over again and, this time, at a higher speed so the impact was greater. "You called me honey a few times." He said finally, deciding that one he wouldn't mind so much, better than sugar pie or some shit.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Honey…honey…hmm…" That didn't sound or feel right to Anciana, but if that's what her husband wanted to be called, she wouldn't deny him. "Alright…honey." She'd have to get used to it along with everything else. "I'll – uh – do my physical therapy after we eat." At his nod, silence reigned between them as both ate their soup in amicable silence. It wasn't uncomfortable; Mark had done nothing to warrant Anciana to feel anything except comfortable. "You're handsome." It was random and caused him to arch a brow at her. "Do I call you that sometimes too? Handsome?" That felt better than 'honey'.

"You did, but it sounded a bit arrogant to say." Mark conceded, hiding his surprise.

Telling someone they had called him 'handsome' did seem arrogant as hell; the fact that they had never met prior to all this notwithstanding. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that 'honey' didn't sit well with Anciana at all and he hadn't been overly fond of it either, but it had been better than the alternatives. When she merely smiled, he returned it, allowing a hint of his natural arrogance to seep through.

"On occasion… darlin'," He rumbled, his already deep baritone dropping. "You even called me God."

"Oh god…I mean…"

Anciana turned several shades of red, knowing what he meant by that and swallowed hard, chewing her bottom lip. Intimacy…sex…those were also things she hadn't forgotten, she hoped anyway. It would be REALLY awkward to have to learn the whole birds and bee's scenario again.

"Obviously we've ventured down that path. I don't think I'd marry someone unless I at least slept with them once." Something told Anciana she wasn't a virgin and if she was, well…that was done and over with being married to this sex on a stick. "I'll just stick with Mark for now…"

Trying to make her cheeks return to normal, Anciana finished eating and stood up, holding onto the table just in case her legs decided to give out on her. Luckily, they didn't. Smirking, Mark leaned back to watch her walk over to the sink, noting the way she was carrying herself and bit back a chuckle. He imagined that was awkward, trying to remember having sex, or even if it were any good. Mark already knew it would be simply because he wasn't a slouch in the bedroom department.

"When I asked you to marry me, we had sex that night," He informed her, loving the way she cocked her head to indicate she was listening, noting the apples in her cheeks. "Had to make sure we had chemistry in the bedroom first, no sense in tying the knot with someone you didn't want to sleep with." And since they were 'married'…she could think about that one.

That revelation troubled her a little and it showed in her crystalline eyes. "Wait…what?" She hadn't meant to drop her dish in the sink as it made a small clanking noise, but luckily it didn't break. "You proposed to me…you wanted to marry me, without us having sex first? Or did you do it after the fact?" When he clarified it had been after, she felt marginally better, but still thought he was a tad impulsive. "I must've been that good in the sack then, huh?" She laughed, the apples in her cheeks growing and her eyes followed him as he circled around the island to stand beside her, dropping his own dish in the sink. "How did we meet? I mean…I know about the bar, but…what happened the night we met?"

"You were there while Cameria was working her shift. She was being bought drinks by guys, but… she wasn't taking them, so you were." He grinned at her. "Some drunk jackass got in your business and I, thinking you were a gorgeous damsel in distress, stepped forward to rescue you and you took him down yourself." He watched her intently, having noticed her build and gathered she had been involved in some type of athletics. Maybe had a few self-defense classes. A woman living with just another woman, in Vegas, he could see that. "I had to meet you after that."

"I-I did?" Anciana asked, her tone filled with surprise and slowly looked up into his amused green eyes. They reminded her of emerald stones. "Cameria didn't mention anything about being in athletics. In fact, she was a little…I don't know how to describe it…cautious when talking about what I did for a living before the accident." That was frustrating considering she didn't know jack about anything due to the amnesia. "Hell, for all I know, I'm a fighter of some kind." Even she noticed the feminine muscular build her body had, though a lot of muscle mass had been lost. "What was our first date like?"

If not for the fact that Mark had been prepared for a deluge of questions, once she had gotten her bearings, when she was ready to ask, he would have been SOL and overwhelmed. He hadn't known whether or not she'd be curious right out the gate or not, but… here she was. Mark had thought through most things beforehand, so telling her about things came easily, he had prepared his stories and then committed them to memory. He told her about their 'first date', leaning against the counter and drinking a longneck as he watched her face intently, taking cues from her expressions and the emotions in her eyes. Without realizing it, he was discovering all about her while she was just learning.

Their first date had been at a nearby diner down the street from the bar and the apartment building she lived with Cameria in. It was interesting finding all of this out, re-experiencing it all over again. Anciana thought maybe talking about her life would make something click in her mind and the amnesia would lift. No such luck, however. It was nice to talk to her husband though; he was patient with her and answered any questions she had.

After they talked, Anciana went to do her physical therapy session with one of the nurses while Mark went back outside to continue working. She watched him walk out of the house and wondered what the future held for them now that he was a complete stranger to her. Would their marriage last now that she'd have to fall for him all over again?

Only time would tell.

* * *

"Out of all the things you've done, this really is the evilest."

"That is rude, Paul."

Mark chuckled into the landline, cordless phone, sitting behind his massive desk. It had been a long but productive day. He only had the one phone in the house, never bothering with putting in a second. He was rarely home and there was no need for multiple pieces scattered about when he could just take this one room to room with him. Now, he was doubly grateful for that because it meant nobody could listen in on another line to the conversation, such as his wife. Anyone listening right now would only hear him and he wasn't saying anything incriminating.

"Is it done?"

"It will be, you really need to understand that having these things forged takes time, especially if you want them to uphold in a court of law." Which meant, if the said item could withstand that scrutiny, then it was legal so far as Taker considered. "How is she?"

"Mmm…" He rumbled, staring out the open door of his office down the hallway. At the end was the bathroom, and his wife was in there enjoying a long hot soak after a tiring day. "Delicious."

"Positively scandalous, my lord." Paul chuckled, shaking his head and almost felt bad for the poor lady, who didn't have a clue what was happening around her. "How long do you plan on going along with this charade?" He asked curiously, looking down at the paperwork and rubbed his double chins thoughtfully.

"Oh, for quite a while I should think. You must consider the 3 months she was in a coma."

"That is true… and also, an unfortunate side effect of your actual intentions."

"This works out better, it is also much more fun." Mark stood up, stretching one arm over his head as he considered that bathroom door. He bet some Epsom salts would help her out quite a bit and he kept that stuff in bulk. "We're in it for the long haul, Paul. Are you game?"

"Of course." Because his old/young friend always did such amusing things and Paul was a devious bastard at heart. "Happy hunting."

"Indeed." Chuckling darkly, he hung up.

Yes, his wife needed Epsom salt.

Hand delivered.

* * *

A long day indeed.

This beautiful huge black garden tub was just what the doctor ordered, especially the bubbles. Mark had gotten her different scented ones and currently, the scent of jasmine permeated the air around her. It was a relaxing scent and soaked into her skin and sore body. Physical therapy had gone well, she endured the full hour worth of workout on her legs and arms as the therapist wanted.

It tired her out, however, and she'd taken a 3-hour nap afterward, not waking up until after 7. Mark already had dinner ready and waiting for her, asking if there was anything she needed once she finished. He was making sure she ate to get rid of the gauntness her body had from not nourishing herself over the past 3 months. She told him a bubble bath sounded good and he'd drawn it up for her before leaving her alone, being a perfect gentleman.

"Mmm…" The bubbles covered both of her intimate areas, so when a knock sounded at the door followed by Mark's voice, Anciana sank a little further down into the water just to be on the safe side. "Come in." She called out softly, sliding the bubbly water up her arms and looked up at him, tilting her head at what was in his hand.

Epsom salts she couldn't recall using, but knew what they were used for. How weird was that? She remembered certain things regarding everyday life and what items were used for such as Epsom salts, but nothing about her actual life.

"Hi."

Epsom salts, in general, were awesome. Sprained ligaments? Epsom salt. Sore back? Epsom salt. Between this and the salve, he kept a steady supply of, Mark had his go-to remedies for physical aches, pains, and bruises.

"Hello, darlin', enjoying the bath?"

It was a giant garden tub, customized for his size and weight and would hold two of himself, not that he was planning on pushing those boundaries, not tonight anyway. This was her first day here, or back, he supposed. He held up the bag, perching himself on the outer edge of the tub, emerald eyes surveying the view. All those bubbles, what a shame, because what he could see, and what was sort of outlined, was indeed delicious.

"It's heavenly, not gonna lie."

Anciana didn't know how to be intimate with her husband and felt incredibly nervous, wondering if and when it would happen. She had actually thought about it a lot since he'd claimed she'd called him 'God'. When she looked at him, she did feel desire, but also nervousness because of his size, girth and she was afraid they wouldn't have the same connection they once did. They had a whirlwind romance, got married on a whim in a Vegas chapel and she'd only been here briefly. She reached out gently once he perched himself on the edge of the garden tub to pour some of the Epsom salts in the hot bubbly liquid and chewed her bottom lip, touching his hand.

"Thank you." She breathed out, feeling even more relaxed and moved her hand hesitantly from his to his face, cupping it. "You've been taking such great care of me. I don't know what I'd do without you, Mark."

"You'd be miserable in a tiny apartment." He informed her honestly, seeing the look in her eyes and reached out to cup her chin gently. "I'll take care of you, Anciana, now and always," Mark promised, tempted to bend down and brush his lips against hers but refrained. Time. That would come in time. "I'll let you finish, just yell if you need assistance. Myself or a nurse can help."

"Mark, wait…please…" Anciana could no longer meet his eyes and lowered hers, suddenly finding the bubbles more appealing than staring into those soul-searing green orbs of his. They literally pierced her every time she gazed into them, even if it was only for brief moments at a time. "You still want…" How was she supposed to ask this without sounding like an idiot? "Do you still want me after…everything that's happened?" Now her eyes rose to meet his. "I don't…I don't want you to take care of me because you feel obligated. We're married and…w-what if what we had before the accident doesn't come back? I don't know how to feel about you…and I'm scared. I'm scared because our marriage is so new and…I know I'm not the same woman you met in that bar…and I don't know if I ever will be again." That thought caused tears to form in her eyes and she looked away from him, wiping a few away that fell. "I-I'm sorry…"

Mark moved back to the tub, this time lowering himself to his knees and stared at her intently. "Then we'll just start over, Ciana." He murmured in a soft, husky tone full of promise, considering her words carefully.

Then he leaned over, gently but firmly gripping the back of her head and pulled her forward, his lips meeting hers in a kiss. A kiss that let her know that he did indeed desire her. He pulled away, a low rumble of approval emitting from deep within at the sight of her flushed cheeks and swollen bottom lip.

"And I will _always_ want you."

That gesture, that kiss, sent her heart racing faster than ever, along with her pulse, her entire body tingling at the first touch of his lips against hers. Indeed, there were sparks, even hidden beneath the surface and amnesia wouldn't, couldn't, control that or make her forget. "I just had to be sure." Her tears had dried up and her eyes had darkened slightly from their usual crystalline to a cerulean. It was a simple kiss, but one that she wouldn't soon forget from her delectable husband. "I'm – um…I'm ready to get out now. Will you help me?" She didn't want one of the nurses doing it when her husband was right here at her beck and call, offering to personally do it.

"Yes." He answered simply, his tone hoarse as he stood up, towering over her and extended his hands.

There was a towel off to the side, but… he doubted she'd be able to stand up without killing herself. Conditioned or not, wet tub and weak legs were never a good thing. Mark, like the good husband he was, kept his gaze firmly fastened on her face, which wasn't a chore, much. When he felt her hands sliding into his, he hoisted her up, feeling her palms moving to grip his wrists. Water and bubbles slid down her lush body, his eyes remained on her face, but the peripheral vision was a godsend. Carefully, he stepped back, she followed, lifting herself out of the tub with him for leverage and, once her bare feet were on the carpet, he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her. He was going to need a shower of his own.

His arms wrapped around her with the towel as her back pressed against his chest and Anciana had never felt more protected and loved in her life. Amnesia be damned. Mark swept her up in his strong arms bridal style and she snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Once they were in the bedroom, Mark closed the door to give them privacy and set her down on the bed while retrieving clothing, including undergarments. She blushed while he insisted on helping her dress, starting with her panties. Stepping into them, after standing from the bed, Mark's hands seared her legs, thighs, and hips, or at least that's what it felt like. Then, she lifted her arms up, not needing a bra and felt the silk fabric of her nightgown go over her head to smooth down her body, the towel gone once everything was covered.

"Thank you." Taking a chance, she reached up on her tiptoes and softly kissed him before sitting back down on the bed, beginning to brush her hair, which went to the middle of her back.

All things considered, Mark knew if he didn't at least show he was familiar with her body, she would realize there was a potential problem. But he also knew not to be overly familiar and that was due to her coma and memory loss, knowing she needed time herself to become re-familiar with him, so to speak. Mark left her to brush her hair, needing some distance between them and began gathering his own things. Cold shower. Definitely in order.

"You look tired." He commented, staring at her through the mirror that hung over his dresser, nimble fingers taking his hair out of the leather band he had tied it back with.

"I am, that bath really relaxed me." Anciana admitted, noting the items in his arms and figured he was on his way to grab a shower.

She finished brushing her hair, leaving it down and crawled up in bed with the remote in hand for the television. There was also one for the VCR and Mark had a lot quite the videotape collection. Cable was boring, so she popped in a movie while he was in the shower. The Crow. She didn't know why she liked this movie so much or felt so drawn to it, but it called out to her. Snuggling back into bed, Anciana barely got through the first 10 minutes of the movie before allowing the exhaustion to take over her body.

When Mark emerged from the shower, his skin was pleasantly cold to the touch. If anyone besides himself had touched him, anyway and his balls felt considerably lighter. He hadn't taken a woman to bed since he had hit Anciana. Time and his obligations to her wouldn't allow it. Mark could have probably had a few of the more attractive nurses, but he wasn't stupid enough to interfere in any way in the care of the woman who he had so thoroughly destroyed, especially when there was a police investigation against him. Speaking of that… he was glad it was wrapped up and over with, knowing that this marriage thing would have been a hiccup there.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A month had passed by almost in the blink of an eye for Anciana as she remained in Houston, continuing her physical therapy. The life and light were back in her eyes and her gaunt face was filled out again along with her body. It was no longer skin and bones with a little muscle. She had eaten hearty meals since coming to Houston and it fattened her up in a positive way. Her backside was plump and pert like it had been along with her breasts, which were perky.

Anciana had dangerous curves; a very beautiful woman and she'd even returned to her natural hair color, a deep golden blonde. Her twin brother…also had blonde hair and crystalline blues – they were fraternal, but definitely looked a lot alike nevertheless. Not that Anciana knew that because of the amnesia, which hadn't lifted at all. The more time she spent with Mark, the more Anciana forgot about having amnesia and just went with what felt natural when it came to her husband. They still hadn't had sex yet and she wasn't in any rush to go to bed with Mark, feeling nervous about the ordeal for some strange reason.

She knew why he left her once a week, twice when pay-per-view time rolled around. On those nights, he made sure she had everything and everyone she would need, not about to let anything set back her recovery. Her memory wasn't returning and that was quite all right with Mark. He had taken the liberty of walking her through some paperwork, explaining most of it as they went, for her to sign, and then insurance forms, all that fun stuff. She had processed it and, the fact they had only been 'married' a month prior to the accident, on top of his job, well… that was a very valid, and easily accepted, excuse to why some of this hadn't been done earlier. He had told her he wasn't making that mistake a second time. Now all that was left was to consummate the marriage, and the papers she had signed, certain ones, would be entirely properly valid.

The paperwork was a necessity and she understood that wholeheartedly, paying close attention to everything she signed. It all seemed pretty standard, including their marriage license. Mark explained he had to rush back on the road right after their chapel wedding and they hadn't had a chance to make everything 100% official. They were married as far as he was concerned, but to the government, the marriage license was vital. It hurt to watch him leave every week, but Mark assured her he'd be home on Wednesday to see her again. If she needed him, he'd be there for her in a heartbeat. The nurses were nice enough, as well as the physical therapist, but luckily, she was done with PT and only one nurse stayed around the house to wait on her.

She had asked if she could watch him on television and Mark showed her what channel WWF Raw Is War was on. WWF…why did that ring a bell to her? The first night he was gone, Anciana watched the show he'd be on and blinked at the dark character he portrayed, though it fit him like a glove. When Stone Cold Steve Austin came on the television, Anciana felt a huge familiarity wash over her and she wondered briefly if she knew the man.

The fact that Taker had told Anciana what channel… had given his go-ahead to watch him, was amusing as Hades for Paul. Of course, logically, the man had no reason to deny her. If he had done so, it would have looked suspicious as hell. But still, for someone with no immediate desire to deal with a full, or even partial, memory recovery, Taker sure was pushing those buttons. Doubly risky due to the fact that they hadn't even technically made the marriage official in all ways. But… it was also amusing seeing what would happen, how it would play out.

Steve Austin was a stupid jackass, who shot off at the mouth one time too many times. This was just dessert as far as he was concerned.

Something stirred inside of Anciana the more she watched WWF programming, a fire within her she couldn't explain erupting. What was she missing? Was she a wrestler or something? Mark hadn't mentioned anything and why would she stay in Vegas with Cameria if…Cameria…Anciana immediately stood up from the couch and walked into Mark's study, where the cordless phone resided. She picked it up, dialing Cameria's number -the woman had given it to her prior to leaving Vegas- and waited with bated breath for her to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hi Cameria, it's Anciana, I know it's kind of late, but I had to talk to you."

Cameria sat up a little in bed, having dozed off after a long day at the office job she now had and felt tears sting her eyes at the sound of Anciana's voice. "Of course, sweetie, what about?"

"I know I asked you this at the hospital and you were vague about it, so I'm going to ask again. What did I do before the accident? What was my job?"

Cameria knew telling her the truth would no doubt cause a lot of trouble with Mark and, even though she wanted to do that, the amnesia was the never-ending roadblock. "You worked at an office – 9-to-5. It was boring, and you were actually on your way that morning to quit when you were run over."

"Really…" Disappointment laced Anciana's tone. "I-I thought it might've been something more exciting…"

"Like what?"

"Like…maybe I was a fighter or…maybe a wrestler?"

Cameria swallowed hard, wondering why her friend was feeling that way and hoped this was the beginning of her memories returning. "As far as I know, no you weren't. You went to the gym to keep in shape, but that was about as active as you got." She really hated lying to her best friend and cursed herself, knowing she was going to hell for this.

"Right…" Why didn't Anciana believe her?

Anciana didn't believe Cameria because Cameria was a lying scum bucket. So was he, but he hadn't been her best friend in the whole wide world prior to running her over either. If Cameria had been smart, she would've realized she could have very easily dismissed, and potentially allayed Anciana's concerns with a remark about him, her husband, being a professional wrestler. Women. When Mark returned home, he was somehow not surprised to find Anciana going through old tapes of his, of his past wrestling matches and stood quietly behind her, his bags out in the hallway. He folded his arms over his chest and just stared down at her, surveying the video she had pulled out.

"Having fun, darlin'?"

"Uh huh…"

Anciana had a bowl of popcorn on her lap and didn't even hear who was behind her, eyes transfixed on the television. It was during Mark's feud with a man named Mankind. Currently, they were in what was called a Boiler Room Brawl and fighting their way backstage to the ring, where Undertaker's manager, Paul Bearer, waited with an urn in hand. Apparently, the object of the match was to be the first person to grab the urn. Mark had taken a BEATING in this match, every move making her cringe, though she smiled whenever he gained the upper hand against Mankind. The man just did NOT stay down and looked to be enjoying the punishment. When Mark asked her something else, she just nodded and waved her hand, thinking it was the nurse hounding her to do something.

"Later, Patricia, please." More popcorn went into her mouth.

Patricia was the nurse, or home help aide, who came in when he was gone and during the day. They had stopped the around the clock nurses when it became abundantly clear that Anciana didn't need it. When he was going to be gone all day and overnight, then someone came. Rolling his eyes, he quietly removed his boots and walked up behind her. She was sitting on the floor, her legs crisscrossed, completely absorbed in this match. He remembered it quite well, Mick had delivered and received one hell of a beating. Quietly, Mark sank down behind her and with a very devious grin leaned forward until his lips were near the shell of her ear.

"I'm not Patricia, darlin'."

No…no he definitely wasn't and Anciana was no longer fixated on the match, a shiver shooting down her spine. His hot breath against her ear made goosebumps form all over her skin and since she was in shorts and a tank top, feet bare, Mark would notice the reaction. She smiled, pushing pause on the videotape and leaned her head to the side, giving him full access to her neck. They hadn't moved past kissing and touching since the accident; Mark was a very sensual man and knew how to stir her body up, but something held Anciana back. She didn't know what it was, but sooner or later she would have to give into her husband. How else was she supposed to know if they were still sexually compatible?

"Welcome home." She murmured softly, feeling one of his arms snake around her waist to pull her closer and let her eyes drift closed, moaning out when he hit a certain spot on her neck that made her shiver again.

Anciana was in the habit of inadvertently giving him blue balls and, since they were married in all ways except one, he wasn't inclined to find himself a ring rat outlet as he had done in the past. There were only so many times he could handle his issues with his hand before chafing became a problem. They would get so far and then she'd shut it down, something holding her back. Eventually, he would break her down, there wasn't a doubt in his mind that he wouldn't, and the idea of forcibly seducing his luscious wife was something he was seriously entertaining. So far, the only thing stopping him was potential repercussions such as her deciding she really didn't like him. That wouldn't do at all.

"Miss me?" He rumbled, running his tongue down the column of her throat, a hand moving to massage her side.

"Mmm maybe…" She responded coyly, smirking at a growl erupted in her ear and melted further against him. "Of course, I did. And I watched you on TV too."

Anciana had some private time with him gone while watching the program and had touched herself, trying to stimulate some kind of sexuality. It worked, she'd gotten herself off and felt marginally better because at least her body responded as it should've. It was early afternoon, so it was too early to start dinner. Cooking was something she'd grown accustomed to, following a recipe wasn't hard at all. Anciana found she could still do that, which was a plus because having someone else cook for her would've sucked.

"Did you miss me?"

"Mmm." He growled in a non-committal sort of way.

Mark had, but probably not in the way she was thinking, or perhaps hoping. Hoping would be better, he preferred that. Mark's face was buried in her hair, inhaling her unique scent just beneath the shampoo she used. Letting the hand on her side move up higher, his knuckles skimmed the side of her breast before moving up to rest on her shoulder.

All she wanted to do was throw caution to the wind and tackle him to the floor, to completely surrender to him. Being caressed, kissed and loved felt amazing, but still…something stopped her. Anciana groaned, slowly turning until she faced him and slid the back of her hand against his cheek.

"I know you're probably tired from being on the road, but can we do something tomorrow? Like maybe…go on a date?" They hadn't done that yet because of her recovery. "And you don't have to keep a nurse here anymore. Patricia told me I'm getting around well and since my physical therapy is done, I don't need help anymore. I'm pretty much back to normal, minus the whole amnesia thing. I want to get to know you better before we…you know…" Now her cheeks were crimson again and flaming.

"Have sex again?" He offered, having been about to say, 'make love', but that felt wrong on the tip of his tongue, so it had been discarded. She didn't know him from Adam at the moment, so a date sounded reasonable. "Got anything particular you want to go do, darlin'?" He asked, re-positioning them both and leaned back against the couch, moving to stretch his long legs out before him, mindful of her discarded bowl of popcorn. Mark folded his hands behind his head as he studied her, having several ideas of things Anciana would have liked prior to the accident, but he wasn't in any hurry to accidentally jog her memory.

"Considering I've been in this house for the past month, and then I was asleep for 3 months before that, no…I have no idea what to do for a date." Anciana admitted somewhat sheepishly, chewing her bottom lip and currently straddled her husband. That did NOT help matters with the issues both had. "You did tell me you enjoy camping. Why don't we do that? I know you have to be back on the road on Sunday, so that gives us a few days to sleep outside under the stars."

In a tent preferably, but maybe a roaring fire and the stars with just the two of them, no distractions and nobody else around, would do the trick. Camping, he did enjoy camping. Texas had beautiful, isolated spots near rivers… a tent would be a necessity, for inclement weather, and a truck with a cab to store food because animals were a problem.

"We can do that." He said with a nod, grinning and revealing teeth in genuine pleasure. It wasn't all that late in the day; he had caught the first flight he could back and if they got moving now… he did the mental math. "Up wench." Mark patted her thigh before squeezing gently, laughing when she did. "You want to leave today?"

"Really? You're not too tired from your flight and working?" Anciana laughed when he shot her a look that clearly told her that was a dumb question and rolled her eyes in response. "Just checking, grumpy."

She bumped her hip against his and raced out of the living room up the stairs to the bedroom to pack her things. Just some clothes and the bare essentials would be all she'd need. Maybe she'd finally stop being a chicken shit and sleep with him – kind of ripping the proverbial band-aid off.

Shaking his head, Mark pushed himself off the floor and twisted himself side to side fairly violently at the hips, enjoying the cracking sensation before doing his neck. He'd let her pack her stuff while he went and began loading the truck, glad he'd been lazy about taking the cab cover off of it. A few days, out in the middle of nowhere, just them, he could handle that, and it would give them both a chance to get to know one another in a fairly neutral setting. Mark included necessities such as lanterns, sunblock, knives, etc. Groceries they could pick up on the way and he added a few coolers before heading to grab his own clothing.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Halting in the bedroom doorway upon finding his wife shifting her attention between two pieces of clothing, one in each hand, Mark grinned vivaciously. "I like you in the deep red one, darlin'."

It was a nightgown in her hand, silk, and lace, spaghetti strapped and rested just at her mid-thigh. The colors were red in one hand and silver in the other. Cameria had gone back to the apartment to pack up her belongings for her while she was still in the hospital.

"Okay, red it is." She winked at him over her shoulder, dropping the red nightgown in the bag and felt Mark walk up behind her. "You've been so patient with me and I really appreciate it." His hands slid up her arms and massaged her shoulders soothingly, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head. "You're distracting me, handsome…"

"I'm distracting you?" Mark sounded incredulous, wondering if the woman was out of her mind and then inwardly sniggered at his own joke. Yes, yes she was. "You could take them both… we'll be out there a few days." He suggested, gently pulling her back until she was leaning into him and inhaled sharply. This woman was not good for his mindset, at all. He wanted her, and his patience was for the first time in years, was being tested. "Fine," Mark grumbled, mentally coaching his erection away. "Get back to packing, darlin'." He moved to get his own things, letting out a slow, quiet breath.

"Good point, alright then."

Anciana dropped the silver one into the bag as well before moving to the bathroom to pack up toiletries. Just as she walked out, a flash of lightning outside made her nearly jump out of her skin. A storm was rolling in as she rushed over to the window and groaned, pressing her forehead against the window. The weather had said there was a SLIGHT chance of storms, but apparently, that had changed to from slight to definite.

"Damn it!" Mark turned the television on and flipped to the weather channel; they were under a severe thunderstorm warning. "So much for camping…"

Mark began laughing. "That's for this part of Texas, darlin', we're going south." Which, from the radar, was nice and sunny. Beautiful thing, a giant state; weather in one area could be very different from another. "Unless…" He hesitated, looking at her intently. "You'd rather not?"

The last time she had been out in the rain, he had run her over and she wound up in a coma for 3 months and now had amnesia for potentially the rest of her life. Mark didn't mind traveling in a storm; this was Texas for one and they got some bitch of storms. Two… he traveled a lot and was used to being out in crappy weather. Her, not so much.

"So, the storms won't be where we're going?" Anciana's spirit was picked back up again as she practically danced to her bag, zipping it up. "Well come on then, we better get on the road before the storm gets worse." Having amnesia meant she had NO recollection of the accident or what kind of weather it was outside. Cameria had told her it was raining, and the roads were slick, which had been the primary reason for Mark hitting her. "Hopefully there's a lake or something we can dip in that's relatively clean because of how hot it's been outside." Going south would make it hotter, no doubt.

"Mmm, there's a river, but where we'll be, it pools so the water is constantly moving slower. You'll be able to swim." He explained, point blank refusing to camp anywhere there wasn't water to dip into. Mark loved to swim; it was a great form of exercise and, given his size, helped with joint issues. "So, I hope you… well, darlin', to be honest, skinny dipping suits me just fine." Mark teased, loving the way her cheeks flushed.

"Stop that." Anciana chastised, wondering if her cheeks would ever return to their normal color around this man.

His chuckle made her flush harder as she continued packing and made sure to grab her bathing suit. It was a simple black bikini, new, thanks to Patricia. She'd gone out and bought one for Anciana since Mark had an inground pool with a canopy overtop to block the sun. Much like Mark, it helped with her sore joints and exercised her arms and legs. Since there was a watering hole, she packed shampoo and conditioner, having already shaved so luckily, she wouldn't have to do that during this trip. Her period had already passed too, so there was no need to worry about that either.

As if a bikini would help; all that did was make it worse by accenting the goods without properly displaying them. Mark was amused by this entire situation and quickly finished packing his stuff, heading downstairs and out to the connected garage to toss his bag into the cab, taking a deep breath. He stepped out the open bay door to inhale the scent of the storm, rather enjoying the rain lashing at his skin because it simmered his boiling blood. The wind whipped his hair about his head and he smirked, tipping his head back to enjoy it. A little bad weather was not going to interfere with this date of hers and that was an interesting thought. Anciana's idea of a 'date', and it would be their first, her first ever since she couldn't recall others, was a camping trip. His wife was proving to be as mentally captivating as she was physical. A few minutes later, Anciana joined her husband and had to admit, the sight of him in the storm was mouthwatering.

"I think we should stop and get some lunch on the way. Then we can set up camp and cook whatever you brought for us tonight." She suggested, gasping when he drew her into his arms and plundered her mouth with his, her bag dropping to the wet ground.

This kiss was different than the others, it held a sense of urgency, longing, and need. Anciana's head swam and her heart thundered in her chest at the way Mark kissed her, trying to return it with an equal amount of passion. Only when she needed oxygen to breathe did Mark relinquish her lips from his and her breath caught in her throat at the dark forest green orbs staring back at her.

Needless to say, Mark rather enjoyed thunderstorms more than the average person might. He simply stared down at her through the rain, blinking water out of his eyes after a long moment and then flashed her what most women would consider being a panty-dropping smile. Stooping down to grab her bag, Mark carried it back inside the garage and placed it alongside his in the back of the truck. Turning back towards her, he tossed his wet hair back over his shoulders, rather enjoying the cold water covering him because it was a nice contrast against the heat of the day.

"Lunch is good. We'll hit up a store when we're near the area, get what we'll need for the next few days. Sound good, darlin'?" He had no intention of leaving that campsite either, not until they were finished with their trip. Mark took in her swollen lips and flushed face, walking over to cup it between his hands. "You going to make it, Ciana?"

"I'm – uh – I'm not sure…" Though she was smiling and placed her hands over his, softly brushing her mouth against his. "I'm fine. You just kinda caught me off guard with that kiss. Not that I'm complaining because I'm not. It was…different, more passionate…"

Feral was actually the right word to describe that kiss, but Anciana didn't want to admit that. One thing she hadn't said since being brought to Houston was the L word. Anciana would not, could not, say those words to him unless she was absolutely sure she felt love for him. Right now, it was lust and like, getting to know each other again and the camping trip would be no different. No matter what, she would not sleep with him unless she was absolutely comfortable and ready.

"You are soaking wet, you know that, right?"

"Afraid I'm going to catch sick, darlin'?" Mark asked teasingly, smirking when she shook her head and stepped away from her, reaching down to pull his black t-shirt, which was indeed soaked, out of the waistband of his black jeans, peeling it off. He tossed it onto one of his workbenches, muscles rippling with each movement. Aware of her eyes on him, he didn't look back at her, figuring he had harassed her enough in the last few minutes. "I'll change real quick and we can head out."

Good god…this man had a beautiful body and it was even more so soaking wet. How the HELL was Anciana supposed to resist him? She didn't know if she could do it much longer, her libido was extremely active ever since she'd touched herself. It was more of an experiment to see if she still enjoyed sex and at least that part of her hadn't gone away. At the very least, he didn't peel the jeans off or Anciana would've tackled him to the garage floor.

"What am I doing to do?" She muttered under her breath after Mark walked inside the house to put on a fresh shirt and jeans.

Slipping into the passenger seat of the truck, Anciana waited for Mark to join her and they were off 10 minutes later on their journey.

If he had stripped those jeans off, she would've been in for one hell of a treat because Mark went commando, unless he was in the ring, working out, or in loose pants that might fall down. Being surrounded by people he wasn't inclined to treat to a view of his appendage, especially. As it was, he was behaving himself. Fresh blue jeans, a black beater, hair loose and in the process of drying. Mark navigated the storm expertly, knowing if she wanted to be a pain in his backside about driving in it, she had every right and reason too. But she wasn't even looking anxious… maybe hitting her had been the best thing in her life.

"Come here, darlin'," He raised his arm, watching as she considered him before unfastening and sliding across the seat, refastening and then leaning into him, letting his arm wrap around her. "Don't mind the weather?"

"Not really, though the lightning makes me jump a little." As if on cue, a flash of it streaked the sky and she nudged Mark a little with her small jump, smiling up at him apologetically. "I'm fine as long as I'm with you. I…know you won't let anything happen to me."

Anciana believed that especially with all the great care he'd given her since the accident. Mark kissed the top of her head and she snuggled against him more, stroking his chest through the thin beater he had on soothingly. However, she did look away when more lightning lit up the sky as the rain poured harder. It made her wonder how Mark managed to see through the heavy downpour and wanted to tell him to slow down or even stop and pull over until it slowed. However, she kept her mouth shut and put her full faith and trust into him to get them to the camping place in one piece.

The difference between now and Vegas were intentions. He had absolutely no intentions of winding up in a wreck or hitting anyone else today. That day…. not so much. When it did begin pouring harder, he simply slowed down and kept his dim lights on, never pulling his arm from her. He just ran his fingertips up and down a stretch of her arm, physically comforting her. Mark could feel her tensing every now and again; he was seriously considering pulling over when it began lightening up, enough for him to feel her relax ever so slightly.

"We'll be out of it soon enough, Ciana." He reassured her in a low, soft rumble.

"Thank god…"

Anciana breathed a huge sigh of relief once the sun began peeking through the clouds, a soft smile stretching across her lips as Mark continued driving. They stopped at a small diner for something to eat, taking it to go and then at a small convenience store once they arrived at the destination. It was beautiful and right on a gorgeous lake that looked to be crystal clear water. Mark parked the truck and she kissed him softly before sliding out, stretching her arms in the air. They had driven for a good 3 hours and she was somewhat achy from the drive, even though it was amazing to snuggle against Mark's warm body. The sun was still out, though it was slowly descending on the horizon – another hour and it would be dark.

"Do you need some help to set stuff up?" She asked, walking over to him while he dragged everything out of the bed.

Mark considered her, finally just nodding. Normally, he would have said no because he highly doubted this would be something Anciana would remember, providing she had ever gone camping in her life prior to him. As it was, he had infinite patience with her, lusting after her notwithstanding. He began directing her, the tent big enough to house them both with a bit of room to spare for moving around, trying not to laugh when she would get flustered. Setting up a tent this size was usually a two-person job, but over the years, he had grown accustomed to doing it himself.

By the time they were done, they were pushing dark, however, and the pleased look on Anciana's face was… well, it made him smile. Mark had shed his shirt, hair pulled back now, and he left her to put their things in the tent, minus food because of animals. That stuff would remain locked in the trunk, while he started unloading the firewood he had purchased up at that store. He turned, arms loaded and hesitated, watching as she stepped out of the tent and right into line with that setting sun, the fading lights catching her hair, both highlighting and hiding her.

Not only that, but the red nightgown she changed into also reflected off the setting sun. It bathed her in a golden glow, her blonde hair illuminated more than usual. Anciana had no makeup on either, going natural and the sun also reflected in her crystalline eyes. Since it was night and they were getting ready to make dinner, she wanted to be more comfortable than jean shorts and a tank top. It'd been a long time since she watched a sunset, to her short-term memory anyway. She didn't know if Vegas had them or if the city blocked them from view.

Anciana wondered if she'd ever get her memories back, half of her wanting them and the other half thankful for a clean slate. What if she was a bad person prior to being run over? Mark could've changed her life for the better by running her over and that was a very morbid thought. Then again, she also wanted the memories of their wedding and how they fell in love. There were so many blank spaces to fill in…she didn't know how to handle it or the current desire for this man she felt.

Mark could see the troubled thoughts in those beautiful blue eyes of hers, eyes that were quite familiar to him and he sighed inwardly, continuing with his task. There wasn't going to be anything major for supper tonight because of how late they had arrived and how long it had taken to set up. This hadn't exactly been a planned venture and the weather on their way here hadn't done them any favors either.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Once Mark felt they had enough to last for the night, he got to work starting a low burning fire; it was still comfortably warm out, he just liked fires and it would keep animals from getting too close. Anciana had moved closer to the flames once it was going and, after removing his shoes, Mark walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and planted his chin on the top of her head.

"What's wrong, darlin'?"

"Nothing, just thinking about everything that's happened. I wish I could remember us…and how it used to be." Anciana dropped her head, closing her eyes and heaved a sigh. "I wish I wasn't so…hesitant and afraid to be intimate with you." Now her cheeks flushed a deep crimson and she was thankful her back was pressed against his chest instead of looking him in the eye. "I'm starting to think I'm not a very patient person and I wasn't before the accident either. Something is just telling me to hold off on intimacy with you…and I don't know why. If we had a whirlwind romance, wouldn't you think I'd want to have sex by now? I'm frustrated…and I don't know what to do about this." Why was it so easy to jump into bed with him before, but not now?

"I did run you over, Ciana." He reminded her, sighing heavily though his arms tightened just a hint. "Maybe your mind is still trying to process that along with everything else."

The intimacy was going to be a factor, he needed this marriage 100% legal and also knew sex had mental implications. He wanted Anciana bound to him in all ways, not just through a piece of paper. Mark wanted her emotionally and physically invested in him.

"And you weren't a patient person," He chuckled ruefully. "In fact, you were a bit impatient and you always had a bit of a temper. Took quite a bit to rouse it though."

"Really?"

Anciana tried not to smile, but found herself amused at having a temper and leaned back against Mark, gazing into the fire. She had no idea what Mark was really after or else he would've had his balls lodged in his throat. If she knew all he wanted was to sex her up to make their marriage 'legal', the man would never be able to perform again. However, Anciana was clueless to what he was thinking and instead felt guilty for not wanting her husband the same way he did her.

"And you need to stop blaming yourself, Mark. It was an accident and you didn't mean to do it."

"Not the point, darlin'." He rumbled with a sigh, burying his nose in her neck.

Mark didn't want sex JUST to make it legal; he genuinely wanted to fuck her brains -or what was left of them- out. She was an attractive woman and had regained her meat. Anciana was built, but with curves that made a man's mouth water.

"I could've hit anyone, but it was _you_. Worst day of my life." He kissed the side of her head, gently moving hair away from ear to nuzzle the area just beneath her lobe with his nose. "Thought I might've killed you, Ciana…" In a way, he had.

In another way, though, he had rejuvenated her and given her a second chance at life. It was like she was reborn all over again – Anciana didn't know if amnesia was supposed to feel like that, but it did to her. "But you didn't and that's what you need to remember and focus on. Mmm…"

Her eyes drifted shut as he continued teasing her neck and ear, sending shivers down her spine. Even in front of the small fire, the heat emanating from it was nothing compared to the flames licking at her insides. Slowly turning, deep crystalline eyes met emerald stones as Anciana brought his head down to softly kiss him, tangling her fingers in his hair gently.

"Food first…then maybe we can fool around a little and…explore?"

"Of course, darlin'."

Mark laughed, his chest rumbling with it and moved away from her. He turned towards the truck, the jovial light fading from his eyes as they flashed a poisonous acid. Blue balls. She was going to give him blue balls. He should have probably hit her harder, jarred the sex drive portion of her brain a bit.

"Mmm, you want sandwiches?" He called out over his shoulder, after perusing what was easy.

They had bought some deli sandwiches from the small convenience store and, for what they had cost, he was expecting them to taste like rainbows and magic. And beer, he grabbed the six-pack out of the ice. Definitely needed a beer.

* * *

The camping trip was great with foreplay and nothing more. Anciana wouldn't allow it and Mark seemed to be on edge because she refused to have sex with him. Maybe therapy wasn't a bad idea – Cameria had suggested it the last time they spoke and Anciana had brushed her off. Maybe she was wrong to do so. Maybe therapy was the way to go and the ticket to getting her memories back. Anciana had a feeling until her memories returned, she wouldn't be having sex with her husband. Her marriage was hurting because of the lack of intimacy, but Anciana couldn't help how she felt. There was a reason she wasn't sleeping with Mark and maybe the therapist could figure it out.

The camping trip had been filled with tension. Mark wanted to tell her to put on a burlap sack. Explore, fool around and then wear bikinis and those damn nightgowns of hers and expect to not wake up with his erection digging into her backside, was just unreasonable. Anciana was also speaking a bit more to Cameria than he liked, and that woman was just trouble with a capital T. She would have to go. Mark did, however, find a great outlet for his frustrations. He had started upping his game and beatings in his feud against Steve Austin. Taking great, sick pleasure in that, staring into those crystalline blue eyes while bashing his heavy fists into the bald jackass's skull. When he returned home, his moods had greatly improved.

"So, I was talking to Cami about some of my issues I've been having and…she thinks I should go to therapy. Maybe it would help me regain my memories." Anciana gauged her husband's reaction, setting a plate full of spaghetti down in front of him and a bowl in her spot, settling down in the chair. "What do you think about that?"

If it wasn't for Steve Austin being an outlet to his Phenom, Paul had no doubt in his mind Mark would've seduced the poor woman by now to make their marriage 'official'. Mark had confided in him about how Anciana was acting and closing herself off…what did the man expect? He RAN HER OVER with a car and gave her amnesia for god's sake! Mark had kindly reminded the old fat bastard that he was just as complicit in this affair as he was. Paul had shut up at that point and then just chuckled, nodding his agreement. Devious old prick.

"I'm surprised you're finally agreeing." He studied her back just as intently. She was feeling him out and he flashed her a grin. "You know, I invited your friend, Cami, out here a time or two to visit with you. Maybe if you asked, she'd come and keep you company for a week or so." Mark suggested, also having a beautiful spot picked out to lay that interfering bitch to rest.

"I think it's the only way, honestly," Anciana admitted, taking a bite of spaghetti and chewed slowly, thoughtfully, relief coursing through her at the fact her husband agreed with her regarding going to therapy. "I'll make some calls this week and I'll invite Cami out. She's had to get two jobs now that I'm not there anymore…" A sad smile stretched her lips. "I told her she could come stay with us for a while until she figured things out, but she insisted on staying in Vegas. I don't think she likes you very much…and I'm not sure why, but at least she's respecting our marriage enough not to say anything bad out loud."

"Darlin'." Mark had to finish chewing; he was not one for bad table manners, a minor pet peeve of his. "One, this is delicious and you're going to make me fat." He was very glad she could cook, it made coming home a lot better, knowing there'd be a hot meal waiting and he gave her an appreciative smile. "Two, I ran over her best friend and destroyed those memories… Cameria has every right to hate me." Mark had also interfered in her private life and had every intention of doing it again, not that she would know that. "She's a proud woman; she's not going to take any help we, or you, offer her, not without grumping about it a lot."

Anciana chuckled softly, nodding in agreement with him and reached over to take his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Thank you for the compliment. And she'll get over it eventually. I really don't know her, I shouldn't trust her as much as I do, but…I guess my memories are so hardwired into my brain, there are just some things you can't completely forget even with amnesia." She took another bite, feeling her appetite returning and could see Mark digging in with gusto. At least they had a plan now. "She also suggested a sex therapist for us if…regular therapy with me doesn't work."

THAT made him start choking on the spaghetti he had just taken a forkful of. Table manners be damned! Mark had himself a minor coughing fit as noodles went in places they weren't supposed to, and he covered his face with both hands, ignoring her while he sorted himself out.

"A… what?" He rasped when he was done, reaching for the glass of water she had set out for him and took a slow sip. When she repeated herself, he cocked a black brow. "A… sex therapist? How does that work, darlin'?" And he could just imagine that… the fucking Undertaker in sex therapy.

Anciana tried hard – REALLY HARD – not to laugh at her husband and had to chew her bottom lip to the point where she was sure blood was drawn. Her face had turned beet red and her shoulders shook, but not a SOUND came out of her mouth. Poor Mark, he had choked on the spaghetti because of her one suggestion. It was innocent…enough.

"Sorry." She squeaked out, handing over another napkin along with ice water because no doubt his throat hurt. "Are you…gonna make it?"

Growling, Mark pushed away from the table when her squeaks turned into giggles and giggles turned into peals of laughter. He walked around to her, pulled her chair out, lifted his laughing wife up out of the chair and turned to plant her butt on the counter. Now she was up closer to eye-level and he bent down, so his nose was near touching hers.

"Let me know when you're finished, Ciana." Dark amusement laced his tone as he reached up to brush a tear -she was crying from laughing so hard- away with his thumb, popping the digit in his mouth and growled.

His dark timbered voice sent a rush of heat through her body as Anciana adjusted herself a little on the counter, squirming under his heated gaze. His growl also did nothing to quell the inferno inside of her that'd been raging for 2 months now. 2 long months – 5 months total – since she'd last had any kind of intimacy.

"I didn't mean to catch you off guard with the sex therapy talk." Reaching up, she touched the side of his face and sucked in a breath as his teeth nipped the skin on her wrist, sending another shiver up her arm. "Unless you don't think it's a good idea or we need it?"

His ego was mentally informing her that he was a sex god and sex therapy was not in the plans, ever. However, Mark kept the ego thing in check, reigned in, for now, catching her wrist before she could pull her hand away and looked down. He could wrap his fingers around her wrist, she was so tiny compared to him, so fragile… one night was all he'd need, and she'd never have problems wanting him again.

"If you think it'll help, Ciana, I'll do it." He said finally, that tinge never leaving his tone, though he personally thought she should let him work her issues out for her.

"I don't want to do it this way, but…I don't know what else to do either. I want you…" Hell, what woman in their right mind wouldn't want this delicious specimen buried to the hilt inside of them? "I thought foreplay would do the trick, work out the kinks, but…something is holding me back. And it's not from the accident." His fingers stroked her sides, molded them and Anciana scooted closer, her hands stroking his chest through the beater he had on. "I need help, Mark…I don't know what's wrong with me aside from the amnesia. I just need to bite the bullet and do this, and I can't for some reason…"

He nodded, letting her know he got her words, understood where she was coming from and he did. Sort of. Mark had never personally had these issues, so…this was all new to him. "Are you afraid of me, Anciana?" He asked, kissing up the column of her throat, feeling her head lulling back while her hands still caressed his chest. It'd be his luck, even with amnesia, her intuition was kicking in and that wasn't a good thing. He'd have to run her over again and he really didn't want too, rather liking his wifey.

"Mmm no…" She breathed out, enjoying the feeling of his muscles rippling beneath her soft caresses. "I have no reason to be…"

What was the problem then? Why couldn't Anciana just give herself to him? Why was this tiny part of her brain flashing a neon red sign and warning her of danger? Mark didn't do anything to warrant danger…if anything, he was the sweetest man in the world, kind, considerate and extremely patient. At least, that's what she told herself since she didn't remember any of her old conquests. She married him though and it was for a reason…she would HOPE she was the type of woman to marry out of love.

"I'm scared…of rejection, I think. What if we sleep together and it's not the same as it used to be? What if sex sucks between us now that I'm not the same woman you married? Don't laugh, Mark, I'm being serious here." She smacked his arm, chastising him and pouted when he continued laughing at her. "You may be a sex god in bed, but I don't have a clue if I'm any good at sex anymore and it's…intimidating, especially with someone like you."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

If that was her issue then, as far as he was concerned, it was a non-issue. Though… Anciana's last comment had piqued his interest. "What do you mean, Ciana, with someone like me?" He asked curiously, pulling away from her delicious skin in order to stare intently into her face. "Someone famous? Someone extremely larger than you? Handsome as the devil?"

Oh yes, he was an arrogant man and he could see she was struggling with the words. Cupping her face gently but firmly in his hands, he bent down and kissed her, swallowing whatever it was she was trying to say, letting her know with actions that it would be good between them. Good was likely an understatement; he was banking on explosive.

All she could do was kiss him back, her hands gripping his shoulders before wrapping around his neck, soft mewls escaping her. He made her feel beautiful, wanted and desired…what the hell was her problem? However, what he'd said bothered her and Anciana managed to break the kiss, his hands still holding her face.

"I…I don't care…about how much money you have. I know that's not why I married you." She had to catch her breath, her chest rising and falling rapidly, and her body trembled against him in both desire and uncertainty. Mark had nailed what she'd been thinking – he was handsome as the devil and those eyes…they were filled with devilish intentions for her. "Your size is…intimidating. I'm really small compared to you, so that is kinda of nerve-wracking…and you are…you're gorgeous, okay?" She was out of his league completely and, yet somehow, they wound up married.

Gorgeous, she had called him gorgeous; that was entirely new, a definite first. Mark had been called many things, but gorgeous was not one of them. A small girl, back when he had been starting out, had finally grown his hair and then like an idiot, permed it because it had been the thing, had called him 'pwetty', but gorgeous was new. Mark blinked away his surprise, pressing his forehead against hers and inhaled deeply.

"I want you, Ciana." He growled bluntly, letting the desire lace his tone, letting her hear it, before running his nose down along the side of her face, his lips brushing the corner of her mouth.

When she moved her head, he gripped her neck, keeping his eyes fastened on hers while he traced the tip of his tongue along her bottom lip, his free hand moving down slowly to rest on her inner thigh. Agony…that was the ONLY word to describe how Anciana felt as Mark continued his advances on her. That tongue was evil…she had experienced it firsthand while camping in their tent. Mark had made her climax so many times, Anciana lost count after 50, truthfully. He had spent hours showering her with kisses and love, but when it came time to do the actual deed, to actually have sex, she denied him.

Sure, she had reciprocated the foreplay with both interest and gusto, wanting to make him feel as good as he made her. Sucking him off had been…interesting…because he was a lot bigger than she realized, especially hard. She'd only been able to fit half of his girth in her mouth and her jaw hurt the next morning from it. They had seen each other completely stark naked and tasted each other, doing everything EXCEPT actual sex.

"Oh god…" Her thoughts left her the moment his fingers began stroking her sex beneath her shorts and panties, his eyes still locked on her. "Mark, I don't think now…mmm…now is…a…" The words faltered and fell from her lips as his large fingers began pumping in and out of her, his mouth sealing to hers.

"Now is perfect," He murmured against her lips, feeling her hips begin to move in time with his fingers.

Her mind was saying no, but her body was eventually going to demand she give in and he would be helping her along the way. The road to hell would be paved with intimacy. They were completely alone, but he was still muffling her moans and cries and he could feel her slick walls clenching around his fingers, moving his thumb so he could manipulate her clit.

"Cum for me, Ciana," He ordered in a lusty baritone, gently biting at her bottom lip. "Give in."

"No…I can't…I want to, but…" Anciana kept shaking her head, even as her body betrayed her and gave Mark exactly what he wanted, what he craved. "Oh, Mark!" Her soft cry echoed around the kitchen; Anciana was very glad Patricia and the rest of the nurses were gone or else they would've heard what was currently going on.

Before she knew what was happening, her shorts and panties were off with Mark working her body into a frenzy with those skillful fingers of his. Her head was swimming, in a passion haze and her fingers buried in his hair as he knelt down in front of her. Even with her on the counter, his face was perfectly level with her sex and Anciana cried out again the moment his tongue touched her.

Even if he had to use his mouth and tongue for hours on end to get his way, it wouldn't be a chore. She was delicious. She was clean, well groomed, and tasted like ambrosia. In a bed would have been preferable, but the fact of the matter was: Anciana was taking this therapy thing seriously and the fact she had brought up sexual counseling was… problematic. Mark would support her of course, that's what a good husband did, but the reality was, she needed to be dissuaded from that course. Binding her physically and emotionally to him was the key to that and her body was BEGGING for attention. It was her mind that was the problem. He had absolutely no problem breaking her body, bending it to his will; he knew the mind would follow after.

The alarm bells ringing in her head slowly began diminishing, fading away in the far recesses of her mind. However, there was only so much gas in the tank and Anciana didn't want to waste all of it on foreplay. She had no idea how long Mark kept her planted on that counter, devouring her with his sinful mouth, but eventually, he pulled away to rise to his full height. Her face was flushed, her eyes wide and her breathing erratic. He kissed her hard, delving in his tongue in her mouth and Anciana once again snaked her arms around his neck, feeling her backside leave the counter. Her legs had wrapped around his waist instinctively as they kept kissing and touching.

"Y-You're not making this e-easy for me…" She mumbled in a stammer against his mouth before he kissed her again, carrying her up the stairs to their bedroom. "Mark…"

That was the point. It wasn't exactly like she had made things easy on him either. It was hard being committed to one woman. A beautiful woman with crystalline blue eyes, sun-kissed hair and a body he would murder other men for, just to make sure it was his and his alone. Once in the bedroom, he kicked the door shut behind them and deposited her on the bed, peeling off his own tank top. Mark towered over her in nothing except his jeans and his erection was really testing the material tonight, his darkened gaze drinking her in. The only thing she had left on was her top and he could see her juices -what he hadn't caught with his tongue -glistening on her thighs. Licking his lips, he moved so he was kneeling between her spread legs, bending down to trace those areas with his tongue, growling hungrily.

"But therapy…"

Anciana could barely hear the alarm bells now and sprawled back on the bed as he licked the juices from her thighs, moaning. She was ready and willing, for the first time since being brought here from the hospital. Anciana watched as Mark's mouth left her thighs to kiss up her body, dragging the material of her tank top up with each kiss. She sat up long enough to remove it along with her bra, those emerald stones nothing more than dark forest green pools.

"Mark…" Bringing his mouth down on hers, Anciana pulled him on top of her as they kissed almost brutally, the need for each other far greater than anything on this planet. "Please…" She wasn't sure what she was begging for, whether it was for him to take pity on her and stop making her senses reel or to take her to heights only she knew they could reach together. Just as he shed his jeans and slid the tip of his cock up and down her quivering slit, they heard a voice that was unfamiliar to Anciana, but VERY to Mark.

"Ohh Deadman, I'm here!" It was Paul.

"W-Who is that?" Anciana asked breathlessly, the passion haze diminishing from her mind and she immediately pulled the comforter up over her body while her husband looked ready to either scream or kill.

He had been RIGHT THERE! Mark had felt the heat of her, engulfing just a fraction of him and then that shrill, fat bastard had… "A dead man walking…" He growled, tearing himself away from her and began stuffing his legs back into his jeans. Mark was going to reach underneath those chin folds, find that fat neck and squeeze the life out of the old man.

"I'm not coming up those stairs, Taker!"

"Because you're too fucking fat!" He bellowed after opening the door. Instead of being offended, Paul began giggling and he rolled his eyes, slamming the door and turning to look at his wife, his eyes venomous though it wasn't aimed at her. "That is a coworker of mine and a very old friend…" Of sorts. And why that bastard was here… Mark was guessing he wanted to come see the fruits of their destruction. Her. "I'll go… get him settled. He always stays a day or so when he comes by." Then, Mark needed to go splash ice water on his balls.

All Anciana could do was nod mutely, watching him storm out of the bedroom and looked down at herself, immediately flying into the bathroom. So close…no, scratch that…she'd already surrendered to him down in the kitchen, even as the faint words left her lips, trying to stop him from pleasuring her. Now that she was alone again, Anciana let a few tears slip down her cheeks, her body trembling from being denied, yet again, what it wanted. Mark. She wanted Mark in every way possible and had been ready, willing, to give into him.

"Shower, I need a shower…" Wiping the tears away, Anciana stepped under the sprays and made them cold, planting both of her hands on the shower wall as they beat down on her.

What was her problem?

Did she not like sex or something?

"You looked irritated, what's got- HEY!" Paul let out a very feminine squeal when he was actually physically lifted by two hands on his shoulders. He began kicking his short legs, aiming for Taker's thighs – not the balls, that'd get him killed.

"How dare you come uninvited and unannounced, old man."

Paul had, in all fairness, tried wrangling an invite from his Phenom, but Taker hadn't done it. He got the impression he was hiding Anciana away for now. "Your wife may see you." He cautioned, seeing the viciousness in those acidic eyes burn even brighter before going blank. Paul was back on solid ground and brushed off the shoulders of his now rumpled shirt. "Temper, temper."

"Push your luck, Paul; eventually, you'll regret it."

An hour later, Anciana felt back to normal and dressed in fresh undergarments with a tank top and shorts, her everyday wear when she was at home. Sometimes she opted for jeans, but…for the most part, because of the Texas heat, it was shorts. Padding down the stairs, Anciana heard voices coming from the kitchen and her curiosity made her go in that direction. She stood in the doorway, just out of sight, and listened in as Mark proceeded to berate his 'coworker and friend' for interrupting what would've been an explosive reunion between husband and wife. Indeed, it would have.

Mark hadn't outright said what his actual deal was, however, given the fact that he had been having this fit for an hour, Paul was going to guess it was something to do with Anciana and the lack of sex. He had known that was an issue, one that needed to be fixed to make this marriage proper in all ways, but he was also a bit curious why Taker hadn't bothered with ring rats. It wasn't like he hadn't dipped his toes in that pool before.

"Are you quite finished?" He asked, turning away from the sink where he had been making a pitcher of sweet tea and reached up for a glass. "Your wife rearranged everything."

"It is her kitchen."

"True." Paul nodded, knowing better than to mention this marriage being a sham, making a reference to it or anything that had brought Anciana to this point. "I do hope I'll finally get to meet her."

Mark was advancing, quietly, his hands outstretched. One quick rap and Paul would be unconscious. He had acres of land.

"Don't even think about it, Calaway." Paul warned without looking backward.

"You can meet me now if you'd like."

Anciana made her presence felt, walking into the kitchen to start cleaning up the mess from dinner. It was nightfall, no surprise there. They had been quite…preoccupied to notice the sun had set on the horizon already. It was one of Anciana's favorite things to do, but having sexual relations, or almost, with her husband had been more important.

"I'm Anciana." She extended her hand to the rather enlarged man and instantly recognized him, smiling softly. "Paul Bearer, right?"

Paul chuckled, gathering she'd watched some of Taker's old videos. "Yes, well I was, but now I'm behind the scenes for the time being. And the name is Bill – I'm only Paul Bearer on television." The whole Mankind business didn't really work out and the company was currently figuring out a new route to go with his character as well as Taker's. "You are as beautiful as Mark portrayed you to be, dear."

"Thank you."

"No, you're Paul."

"Do tell?" Paul let go of Anciana's hand with a smile, turning back to his sweet tea and began pouring each of them a glass. He had come one time to find sun made plain tea in the refrigerator. Texans were barbaric.

"Because Bill is a nice, sweet old man and you are not nice nor sweet, old man."

He snorted, more than used to Mark's mercurial moods. The man was an enigma to everyone, including those closest to him. "You can call me whatever you want, it doesn't bother me." He said, sweetly no less.

One of these days, he really was going to wind up murdering his friend.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I will call him whatever he wants me to and he said Bill. So, Bill, it is, grumpy." She smirked as Bill snorted into his glass and smiled sweetly at her husband, sipping her own tea thoughtfully. "I will get the guest room ready for you, Bill. I didn't know we were having company tonight." Anciana shot her husband a stink eye, wondering if he was too preoccupied with trying to get laid to remember a friend staying with them and neglected to tell his wife about it.

Paul already liked this woman and sincerely hoped the Phenom didn't destroy her fiery spirit. "Thank you, Anciana. That would be wonderful. I AM an old man, you know." He winked, reaching over to squeeze her hand.

"Don't let him lie to you; I may call him an old man, but he's only like 41 or 42," Mark informed her, shaking his head. "He's FAT, that's his problem."

"I'm morbidly obese." Paul corrected, his weight was something he had struggled with all his life and it was also something he had learned to live with, on occasion also own. He eased himself down into a chair. "And I do apologize, Anciana, I usually call before I come. I'm afraid… I invited myself this time."

Piss poor timing.

"You are always welcome in our home, Bill," Anciana assured him, setting down a plate full of spaghetti and patted his shoulder before walking up to Mark. "I'm gonna go chill out in the living room and give you gentlemen time to yourselves." She kissed Mark's cheek, letting him know everything was fine between them and they would get another shot soon enough, nodding to Bill on her way out.

"Such a lovely, polite thing, isn't she?"

"Mmm, she is." Mark agreed, sitting down opposite of his friend and now biggest pain in the ass cock block ever. He twisted, watching as Anciana made her way out to the living room, whistling his appreciation and winked at her when she looked back to smile at him.

He would give Taker one thing; the man was the best method actor he had ever seen. The man had definitely gone into the wrong profession. "You definitely do not deserve a sweet, polite, beautiful woman like that in your life. She is way too good for you."

Mark began drumming his fingertips on the tabletop, both inclined to agree and annoyed that he agreed. "Sure is." He said, however, his tone genial.

Paul lowered his voice to where only Taker could hear him, sipping his tea thoughtfully. "What do you plan on doing once the marriage is…consummated? Surely you're not going to keep her here locked up." They had a complete background on Anciana, including who her family was and what she was planning on doing prior to the 'accident'. Taker was a devious, ruthless man and the fact he'd actually taken his prey homemade Paul cautious. "You DO have some kind of plan, right?"

What would happen if she regained her memories and found out what kind of man Taker actually was? Or remembered who her family was? This was a recipe for disaster and it all fell on the amnesia the young lady currently had.

"I have several, actually."

Of course, he wasn't above murder as a last resort. If by chance, Anciana did get her memories back and decided to make his life miserable, murder was it. He had no intentions of going to prison, ever. Pushing away from the table, Mark walked over to the counters, rifling in a drawer until he found a deck of playing cards. If they were going to chit-chat about this, they were also going to look inconspicuous while doing so.

"As it stands right now, I'm not inclined to let her go." He said quietly, once he was sat back down, hearing the television going and Anciana laughing at whatever she was watching. He began shuffling the cards. "You still play poker?"

"Of course." Paul then held out his finished plate, offering a wicked smile. "Help an old man, boy?"

"Oh, for fuck's…." Grumbling, Mark did, though he aimed a kick at the 'old man's' leg on his way by.

"I understand you don't want to let her go and I'm with you on that."

Talk about a problematic, LEGAL, situation if and when Anciana regained her memories. Paul knew 9 times out of 10, people who had amnesia eventually regained their memories. He wasn't sure if Taker was aware of that fact and statistic or not. It was a fact of life. It was rare when people didn't regain their memories unless it was due to a head injury, which she had sustained. There was a SMALL chance Anciana would never remember, but somehow Paul doubted that would happen. They couldn't get that lucky.

"However, given who we're dealing with and your whole purpose of running her down in the first place…don't you think it's time to put the rest of your plan into action?"

"Not until everything is 100% above board." Mark said patiently, eyeing his cards. His tone was pleasantly neutral, low, she would have to be standing damn close to hear him, though his tone was obvious. Just a friendly game between friends.

"And how is that coming?" Paul cringed under the very pointed look he received. "Oh… Oh!" That was his bad.

"You need to learn patience, William."

"This is a bit of a high stakes game, isn't it?" He wiped the sweat off his forehead, wishing Mark would run the air conditioner, though when those eyes flashed amusement and acid, he frowned. "You really are enjoying this, aren't you?"

"You have _no idea…"_

They were playing an old favorite of Taker's – Texas Hold'em. It was fitting considering where they were located. Taker usually played for money, but luckily, he didn't seem to want to take Paul, his 'old friend' for every penny he was worth.

"I'm almost afraid to ask this, but you've got me curious," Paul smirked, moving his cards and kept his own voice neutral as well, not using the high-pitch he did on television. "What do you plan on doing with her once all is said and done? Once you have what you want, and HE is taken care of? Cut her loose or keep her for your own amusement?" This poor young lady had been through so much because of his master.

Given that Paul had come unannounced and then spoiled a moment that Mark had been working towards for months now, he was not inclined to be nice to the other man and let him know what his future plans entailed. He did, however, pick up on the tone in Paul's reedy voice. That underlying current of concern, worry for Anciana, and he cocked an eyebrow.

"If I think, for one moment, you're going soft, I'm going to kill you." He said tonelessly, watching as Paul paled and busied himself with his cards. Paul had gotten his hands quite dirty in the past and this time around as he had played his own role in this debacle. Mark did not need the added pleasure of a doubter or potential turncoat. "Suffice to say, as long as things remain… pleasant, she'll be fine."

"You didn't really answer me."

"And I won't either, while you're on your period acting all… concerned."

Before the fat man could respond, Anciana walked into the kitchen and dropped a kiss on Mark's mouth before heading to the cabinet. "I'm making popcorn, do you two want any?" She asked cordially, watching Bill nod while tossing one thing of popcorn in the microwave, humming under her breath.

Suddenly, it was as if someone zapped her with lightning and Anciana hit the floor like a ton of bricks, clutching her head. The flashes were brief, the pain was blinding, and she didn't feel Mark clutch her arms from behind. As fast as the pain came, it was gone and Anciana slowly opened her clenched eyes, hearing the laughter echoing in her mind. All she'd seen was two kids running around, both with blonde hair, chasing a kite. That was it. What the hell was that?

"Mark…she needs to lie down. She's pale and her breathing isn't normal…"

"I-I'm fine…my head hurts, but I'm fine…" Therapy was definitely looking better by the second.

"You are not fine." Mark argued gently but firmly, carefully scooping her up into his arms bridal style, cradling her against his chest.

He didn't need Paul's professional opinion, he could see there was a problem. Her pupils were dilated, when they shouldn't have been because of the light, her breathing was erratic, his fingers were pressed against her wrist pulse point timing the beats. Her face was pale, pinched, bearing signs of pain and his eyes narrowed in, searching her intently.

"How does your head hurt? Headache, or something else?"

Maybe Mark did listen when he did those medical lectures… he didn't know whether to be proud or irritated.

"Headache…" Anciana took a deep, shaky breath as Mark carried her upstairs to their bedroom with Bill following, setting her gently in bed. The color in her cheeks slowly began returning and her breathing calmed. "I just…need some aspirin and I'll be okay…" She took the aspirin Mark handed and popped them, snuggling back down against the pillow as he continued staring at her concerned. "I saw something…"

Uh oh, Paul thought, watching Taker's face intently to see how he'd react to this news.

"I…I can't explain it, but…it felt like I was struck by lightning. And I saw…two children. Blonde. They were chasing a kite. I…I couldn't see their faces, but I can still hear their laughter…" It made her heart twinge painfully in her chest as tears leaked out of her eyes, wondering if it was a memory trying to push through the amnesia. "It happened…so fast. I couldn't see their faces, everything was kind of blurry…"

Her memories were returning slowly but surely. Taker had to act fast or else his plan would go up in smoke.

Anciana planned on making an appointment with a therapist as soon as Mark went back on the road.

Mark could see that therapy bell ringing in her head and that was to be expected, after this episode she had just had. She had had a flashback it seemed, a memory surfacing, though the idea of it being brought on by popcorn was a little weird, even by his standards. "You and a relative maybe, darlin'?" He asked gently, reaching up with his hands to use his thumbs, brushing away her tears. When she shook her head with a shrug, he gathered she didn't know and sighed, bending down to brush his lips against her forehead. "Want me to set you up with a psychiatrist, Ciana? Houston has a specialty clinic."

He was playing this very close to the chest, wasn't he? But at the same time, it was both necessary and brilliant, to keep this charade up. This woman was going to need quite a bit of therapy by the time all was said and done.

She smiled painfully due to a headache and reached up to caress his face, shaking her head. "I'll take care of it. You're such a worrywart." Anciana half-joked, feeling him kiss her wrist and sighed as the aspirin began working its magic on her head, the pain diminishing.

Why had something as trivial as popcorn stirred a potential memory? Was she one of the kids chasing the kite? If so, who was the other child? There were too many questions and Anciana was drained after feeling like she'd been struck by lightning.

"I'm just gonna go to sleep. I'm sorry about this, Bill. I promise to be a better hostess tomorrow." Providing another memory didn't surface.

"Don't you worry about it, Anciana, dear." Paul assured with a pleasant smile, taking over the spot Mark had just occupied when the big man got up to start drawing the blackout shades. Ensuring that no light would come bother her, glad for the very dim bedside lamp that was on or else he'd be blind. "You know, I am a medical professional." He informed her. "If you would like a referral… I could provide you with one. It might get you in faster to be seen by someone."

That was very true, Mark thought, disappearing into the bathroom to grab a disposable cup from the dispenser, filling it with cold tap water before walking back out to set it down beside her.

"You are?" Mark hadn't said anything, but then again Bill already had his hands full with his current job being Paul Bearer. "I'd appreciate that. Thank you, Bill."

She smiled at her husband, taking the cup of water and took a long swallow before laying back down on the bed. No sex would happen tonight, not after that episode. Yawning loudly, her eyes began droopy and shut of their own accord, drifting off to sleep almost instantly. Paul waited until they were out in the hallway before looking up at his Phenom.

"Her memories are trying to resurface. It's crunch time, Taker. Consummate the marriage and then bring her on the road, that's my advice to you. DO NOT let her see a therapist, especially one that specializes in hypnotherapy." Being hypnotized a time or two, Paul had recalled some not very fond memories from his own past he would've been better off forgetting about. Taker had to stop beating around the bush, it was time to execute phase 2 of his plan, by any means necessary.

"Wrong, old man." Mark was grinning, and it was a very wicked grin indeed. If Anciana could see his face right now, she would have run for the hills screaming because there was nothing except evil intentions written in his venomous eyes. "Come walk with me." He escorted Paul out of the house and outside, walking away from the house to be on the safe side. Mark was paranoid enough to gesture at objects, like the fencing, just in case she did wake up and got nosy. "You will make that referral to a therapist of my choice." This was doable. "I want her to trust me, completely. To have no doubt in me. I want her to _love_ me."

"You'll destroy her."

"Perhaps," Mark allowed, nodding his head in acknowledgment. "But bringing her on the road without having her loyalty 100% is not something I'm willing to risk. Not with Austin."

"You're going to destroy yourself too."

Maybe.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The first few sessions with Dr. Mathis was enlightening and it made Anciana realize how ridiculous she was being. She couldn't force her memories to resurface if they didn't want to. That wasn't how the brain worked and Dr. Mathis pointed that out. Because of her whereabouts during the time of the accident, there was no family to speak of besides Cameria. He recommended a change in diet, but nothing other than that besides time and patience. He also informed her there was a huge possibility, much like Doctor Horris, her memories may never return.

Today, they would be discussing the intimacy factor in her marriage and how she was scared to go all the way with Mark. She sat in the office nervously; Mark was back on the road doing his job to provide for them and she was trying to get better mentally and emotionally. When her name was called, Anciana took a deep breath and walked through the door to be lead to Dr. Mathis's office.

Mathis was working within the boundaries he had been given. Help her as much as possible, without actually nudging those memories along. Apparently, Mr. Calaway believed that those memories may cause more harm than good, and he had convinced Mathis… in a monetary fashion. Anciana had intimacy issues and he had reassured her that it was perfectly normal. Given the extent of her injuries and the trauma to her brain, the amnesia, jumping back into sex with her husband wasn't something anyone could reasonably expect her to do. She didn't know her husband from the next stranger, so to speak.

"Now… it's good, that you and Mark are getting to know each other." He said slowly as they reviewed the case notes together. They had discussed her issues with Mark's frustration, and of course, he had told her that was also to be expected, but obviously, Mark was a patient man willing to work on it. "Last week, you said you were fearful, and I asked you to think about it, write whatever came to mind down about having a sexual relationship with your husband. How's that gone?"

The irony was not lost on Mark. He was paying a shrink to get him laid, essentially.

"It's actually helped a lot." Anciana admitted somewhat shyly, pulling out the piece of paper she had hidden from her husband and handed it over to Dr. Mathis.

Some of the words she'd written were uncertainty, rejection, the size of him versus the size of her -yes that was a worrisome factor to her-, the fact they were married so quickly in a whirlwind romance, intimidation, fear, and desire. The ONE word she did not put down, refusing to, was love. She did not love Mark, not yet, not this soon. Anciana didn't know him very well, though they had spent a lot of time together. It wasn't nearly enough when he was constantly on the road working and only home a few days out of the week. 3, if she was lucky.

"I suggested us to see a sex therapist, but…Mark didn't take it very well. He said he'd go, but I know he doesn't want to."

"Well, I suppose that's understandable too," Mathis admitted after a few seconds went by. "If we look at it from his point of view, you're his wife and he has memories of being intimate with you. It is probably a difficult thing to reconcile those memories with what is going on now and the possible need for intervention." He then looked down at the paper in his hands, studying it thoughtfully. "All right, Anciana, let's start with rejection. Do you fear him rejecting you? Has he given any indication that he no longer wants you?"

"No, he's been more than patient with me and has shown how much he cares for me." Again, she didn't mention the L word. "And yes, I'm afraid once we have sex, he'll reject me because it's not…it's not what it once was between us." This was so embarrassing to talk about. This was her husband and she was acting like he was a stranger…a stranger who could kiss and just a touch of his lit her body on fire. "I was hoping therapy would help rouse my memories, but…it seems I was wrong." Lowering her head, Anciana couldn't remember feeling this frustrated and snorted. She couldn't remember anything from her past, only the present. "I think I'm…putting too much pressure on myself when it comes to sex with Mark."

"All right, Anciana, I know it can be frustrating, coming here and not getting results," Mathis said gently, kindly, this was something he was used to from all his clients. People needing an almost instant fix. "But you will get them; you just have to give it a bit more time. Unfortunately, therapy of any kind is not an instant cure, it's a process." He picked up the pitcher of ice water up from its stand on his desk, filling the glass he had set out for her and then his own. "I don't think Mark will reject you." He added thoughtfully. "From the way you talk about him, it seems he loves you. And I do agree, you are putting too much pressure on yourself. Sex should come naturally, and you seem to be overthinking it."

Did Mark love her? Or did he feel he had to take care of her out of obligation since he was the one who struck her down? Maybe that part bothered her more than she was willing to admit. There she went again, overthinking things. Dr. Mathis was right, she had to stop overthinking things because sex had to come naturally. The desire she felt whenever he was around, the butterflies in her stomach and tingles throughout her body were natural reactions. It was obvious she was attracted to him, so why was her brain being finicky about this? About Mark?

"So, what should I do, Dr. Mathis?"

"Well, let's start addressing your fear, the size difference and then we'll start discussing a game plan," Mathis suggested with a gentle smile. "What about the size difference bothers you? Is it his physical size, body-wise?" Because Mr. Calaway was near seven feet and wide… and she was… a lot smaller. "Or are you worried about… anatomical differences under the clothing?"

"He's gigantic compared to me, so it's a little intimidating. I'm not afraid of him, but it makes me nervous because of his…size."

Anciana felt her cheeks burn crimson, remembering the moment they'd nearly crossed the line and had sex. If it hadn't been for Bill showing up uninvited, they would've had sex that night with Mark's…persuasion. She didn't know if it bothered her or not that he seduced her into bed, having mixed feelings about it.

"I feel like…I don't know…" It was a horrible cliché, but Anciana felt like she was in the arms of the devil. An angel in the arms of the devil. She had no idea just how right she was in that scenario. "I married him for a reason, but I don't know what that reason is…because I don't love him the way he loves me. I haven't known him long enough to even consider the possibility of love. And I don't know why, but I won't sleep with someone I don't love."

Mathis had listened to Anciana patiently, jotting down notes and specific words, things to think about and discuss with her. When she was finished, he was nodding. "Well, we've established that married or not, you don't have memories of him other than what you've created since coming out of the coma, yes?" At her nod, he smiled softly. "So of course, he is a stranger to you. Instead of viewing this as a marriage, if I may, and worrying about marital relations, perhaps you and Mr. Calaway could try something new." At Anciana's curious look, he cleared his throat. "Do you know what roleplaying is? Acting. Pretending." He clarified. "Why not treat this as you two are dating? Dating is generally the way people discover their compatibility, get to know each other, and I think that you are putting so much stress and pressure on yourself because you are married. Maybe it's time to take a step backward."

"So, we should…date, or at least pretend to, and gradually work our way up to a married couple?"

At Dr. Mathis' nod, Anciana found herself smiling at the thought. Dating her husband could work. They had gone out on dates, but she'd always thought of them as married. Looking down at the diamond ring on her finger, Anciana knew this was the right thing to do deep in her heart. Love would come in time, but rushing it made things a lot worse and pressured. How would Mark react to this though? He thought of them as a married couple, surely. How would he react to her taking her wedding ring off and wanting to start from scratch by dating?

"I hope he understands why I have to do this…" That was said in a soft mumble.

All things considered, Mathis had a feeling that Mark was going to be very understanding. According to their history, and what they had both told him, they had had a whirlwind romance that culminated in marriage after a month. Unless the coma and amnesia had basically reboot Anciana after the accident, he didn't see it being an issue.

"I'm sure he will. He seems to care a great deal about you." He stated confidently, hoping to reassure her.

* * *

Wednesday morning, Anciana was up early and had the house clean from top to bottom, classic rock music blasting from the radio while she dusted. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head, skin-tight black shorts, and an orange tank top, her feet bare. It was in the mid-70's outside since fall weather was upon them, so the windows were open, the A/C off. Anciana hadn't told Mark about her and Dr. Mathis' discussion regarding taking a step back to start dating, so she would have to drop that bombshell on him. She thought about moving out and getting her own place to make it more realistic and believable, but decided against it. She had no income of her own, no job did that, and something told her Mark wouldn't allow it. Humming to Metallica, she finished dusting, put the cleaning supplies away and started breakfast.

Anciana didn't have to tell him a thing, he already knew. He was amused by the idea, dating… that was basically what they were doing now; she just didn't realize it. Mark had taken some time off again, figuring a week with her may help, or hurt, he wasn't sure yet. He also had flat-out informed his boss, after that last pay-per-view, he needed some downtime or else he would have issues down the road with his hips. Big men probably shouldn't fly the way he did, but… he did it anyway.

His delectable wife was dancing in the kitchen, shaking her ass to Metallica, and he had dropped his bag at the door along with his shoes, quietly creeping up behind her. He regretted it. She had been gearing up to cook, apparently, and Mark hadn't caught the skillet in her hand until it was swinging at his head. He managed to sort of duck the blow, it grazed him instead of outright beaned him, but it was enough to make him rethink creeping up again.

"Hi, darlin'." He was backing off, holding the spot, eyes shut. "Hell of a swing, Ciana…"

"Oh my god!" Anciana immediately dropped the skillet, her eyes wide and jaw dropped, not believing she just nearly took her husband's head off! What the hell was she thinking?! "I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't think you'd be home so soon…I don't know why I did that…" They were out in the middle of nowhere in Texas, on a stretch of land, but that didn't mean someone couldn't break into their home and attack her. "Here." Anciana hesitantly reached up, placing the bag of ice against his head and chewed her bottom lip, tears shimmering in her crystalline eyes. "I'm so sorry…" She whispered, feeling his arm wrap around her waist to pull her closer against him. Anciana felt lower than dirt right now and let a few tears slide down her cheeks.

What a hell of a way to welcome her husband home!

"Don't be," He ordered, a slight tinge of pain lacing his tone as he moved back to sit down in one of the kitchen table chairs, letting go of her. "I deserved it."

Mark cracked a grin at the thought; it was good to know she could defend herself if need be. Of course, Anciana prior to the accident could have held off an attacker with relative ease, at least long enough to get to a phone or something, but she didn't know that. Keeping his eyes closed, he held that ice pack to the spot she had whacked, feeling her hovering over him and gingerly cracked open one eye, looking up into her concerned face.

"Stop it, Ciana, I'll be fine."

"No, you're not fine. I just hit you with an iron skillet, Mark! Now stop being stubborn and let me help you." Anciana ordered, more forceful than she meant, but he was making her peeved by not letting her help. She pulled the ice pack away from his head to survey the damage, seeing she had clipped him and walked over to one of the drawers to pull some aspirin out. "You are going to take these, go in the living room and lay your ass down while I make us some breakfast." She pushed the pills in his hand along with a glass of water and gestured to the living room, but not before kissing him softly. "Please listen to me." Then, she went back to cooking and trying not to feel guilty for clocking her husband with an iron skillet.

Blatantly ignoring her, he kept his ass in that chair, watching her cook, though he had popped the aspirin. Aspirin… he snorted mentally at that, it would not touch a thing for him; he was too big for one and metabolized stuff way too fast, and second, injuries over the years meant lots of OTC pain relief, which he had built up a resistance to. He liked pain, enjoyed it, but not in the head, that was not fun pain. Mark wasn't laying down either; he wouldn't risk this being a concussion. His wife giving him a concussion. Paul would find that hilarious given his brother-in-law had done the same not so long ago.

Breakfast consisted of omelets, Mark's a lot bigger and thicker than hers along with a side of bacon and hash browns. She set the plate of food in front of him, kissed his temple along with a glass of orange juice. Maybe after a hearty meal, he'd listen to reason and lay down to rest his head. She sincerely hoped he didn't have a concussion and wondered if he should've gone to the hospital to be checked out. Sitting down with her own glass of orange juice and food, they ate in somewhat tense silence. He was angry with her, he had to be and Anciana didn't blame him. Who the hell wouldn't be after being clocked in the head with a skillet, even if it was a graze?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Mark wasn't angry at her, he was a bit miffed at himself, however, walking right into that one. Not one of his finer moments. He was now focused on the meal, wondering if she had been a natural cook or if when he wasn't around, she was reading Betty Crocker cookbooks. He had one of those… an old orange thing that had been his Mom's way back when. It was floating around somewhere; it had been a great paperweight for a while until he wanted to learn how to make his own soup.

"Woman…" He grumbled, after devouring that omelet, seeing the way she was staring down at her plate. "I'm fine, I've had worse, okay? And this is delicious." He would keep her just for the cooking.

"Thank you." Anciana quietly replied, feeling him take her hand and looked up at him with sorrow and regret in her eyes. "I'm glad you like it. I don't know how or why, but…cooking has come very easily to me." She admitted somewhat sheepishly, her great mood destroyed after hurting her husband. Was she even supposed to refer to him as her husband? Or if they were roleplaying, wouldn't he be considered her boyfriend? "Was I like this when we first met? Did I…cook for you or did we just go out to eat a lot?" It was Vegas, after all, and there was an endless supply of diners, restaurants and fast food places to eat at.

"Both." He answered, after taking a forkful of hash browns. "You cooked, but not like this. You were living with Cameria." He reminded her. "And the apartment wasn't… as equipped as this kitchen is, darlin'. Not to mention, you were disgusted when I first told you I was living on fast food. So… you cooked and, if we ate out, we did a lot of restaurants. Places that wouldn't give you a heart attack." Anciana seemed pleased with that answer and he smiled at her, next reaching for his glass of juice. "How'd your appointment go?"

The moment of truth had arrived.

It was now or never.

Anciana didn't think the day could get any worse and slowly slipped her wedding ring off, setting it on the table. "Before you freak out, I'm not leaving you and I don't want a divorce. Dr. Mathis told me we need to take a step back because I've been putting a great deal of pressure on myself lately. I figured out why I haven't…had sex with you yet. It's because, somewhere in my lost memories, is still the woman I used to be and…" She took a deep breath, knowing this next part wouldn't be easy for him to hear. "I don't love you, Mark. I like you a lot and I appreciate everything you've done for me, but…I don't love you. And until I do love you again, I won't sleep with you. So, Dr. Mathis recommended us to…roleplay, to take the edge and pressure off. Instead of thinking of ourselves as married, we're dating and since we're just dating, not married…I can't wear this ring until we're back to the married phase of our relationship. Does that make sense to you?"

He had been more than ready for this since Mathis was on the payroll, but at the same time… Mark hadn't been entirely sure Anciana would actually do it. She was not the firecracker he had thought she would be; she was hesitant a lot when it came to certain things and, other times, a hint of that stubborn streak peaked, so… it was weird. He eyed that ring, then looked at her, then back at the ring, slowly reaching out to pull it towards him. Mark deftly removed the simple gold chain necklace he always wore except when working and slid it on the chain before re-clasping it about his neck.

"You think this is going to help, darlin'?" He asked quietly, no judgment in his tone. When she nodded, he did too. "All right, whatever it takes." Then he smirked, letting her see the arrogance. "So, I need to make you fall in love with me again, huh? Cakewalk."

"Yes. I know…it's a little unconventional and weird, since we're already married, but…I really think it will help. I…I want to get back to how we used to be." Now she was smirking, standing from the table to grab their plates. "Besides, since I married you after only knowing you a month, it shouldn't be that difficult to get me to fall for you again, right?"

Her feelings for him had to be hardwired into her mind, just like how she knew how to cook and do things on her own. Winking, she made her way to the sink to rinse the dishes off since they were both cleared and looked down at her left hand, feeling like a weight had been lifted. This was the right decision, she thought, nodding as if to reassure herself.

Sure wouldn't be, he thought, watching her intently and then grinned, pushing away from the table. Mark headed upstairs to wash off the dust of the road so to speak and then began moving his belongings out of their bedroom across the hall to the guest room, which had its own private bath, thankfully. When he heard her coming, he waited patiently, laughing when Anciana took a double take.

"Darlin', it took me a few days to get into your bedroom." He informed her. "Figure if we're going to do this again… you're going to need your space. Hell, maybe you needed it all along." Mark sounded contrite, knowing he had pushed her too fast given her situation.

His thoughtfulness and consideration…how could she not love this man? Anciana's heart melted and she stepped up to him, crooking her finger to where he leaned down until her mouth touched his, kissing him softly yet passionately at the same time. "Thank you. This means…this means a lot to me…that you're doing this for me." Hugging him around the neck, Anciana breathed in his scent and felt her feet leave the floor as he lifted her, holding her tightly against him. "Please don't hurt me, Mark. Don't break my heart. I'm trusting you and I promise to open myself up completely to you." She murmured in his ear, feeling his arms tighten around her and shut her eyes, burying her face in the crook of his neck.

If Mark had been any other man, any normal person, a decent human hearing her soft, murmured plea would have instantly stopped all plans right there and then. As it was, he felt what might have been a twinge and had shoved it out as soon as it presented, refusing to dwell on things like that. As it was, he buried his face in her hair and inhaled what was now a familiar scent.

"I won't darlin'," He whispered, reassuring her. "I promise, Ciana, I'm going to take care of you."

* * *

"How's your head? Feel up to playing a game or something?" Anciana asked a few hours later, joining him in the living room after readjusting her things in the bedroom.

Mark was insistent on taking the guest room, refusing to put her out of their bedroom. She felt bad, but at the same time, this was her house and Mark was being a gentleman. So, she didn't push him on the subject and let him do what he wanted.

"I found some board games in the closet and figured maybe we could break one of them out. I think I'm a fan of Monopoly, but I'm not sure…"

Board games? Mark blinked at her, trying to remember when the hell he had bought board games, fairly certain he hadn't. Or if he had, it had been years ago, and he had forgotten all about them. Maybe back when he was more sociable, or… hell if he knew.

"Monopoly."

That was one he knew. Mark liked cards games, the last time he remembered playing a board game had been when he was a teenager. It had been RISK and he had enjoyed that one. It required concentration, foresight, and patience.

"So, the object of the game is to gather as many properties as possible, put houses and hotels on them to bankrupt the other player?" Anciana asked, an hour later, looking down at her properties and the wad of money in her hand while Mark had his own, watching him nod. "Oh damn, I went to jail again!" That was the third time. "I must be a very naughty girl to go that many times." She let out a soft giggle, winking at him and watched him roll the dice, which gave him snake eyes…and the final orange property, New York, to grant him the first colored set. "Looks like you might win this game…"

"Mmm, we'll see darlin', plenty of other properties." Mark chuckled, surveying the board. "It's when negotiating for sets you need that shit gets interesting." He smirked across the table at her. "You do go to jail a lot… what bad things have you been up to, Ciana?"

Besides landing and rolling wrong, Mark shook his head when she wiggled her eyebrows at him and reached for his beer. As far as he was concerned, it was never too soon to start drinking, beer anyway. Hard liquor, on the other hand, was a no go.

"YES!"

Anciana grinned triumphantly when she got her hands on the last railroad, owning all 4 of them. Each time Mark landed on a railroad now, which was quite often, he would have to pay her $200. This was a fun game, she enjoyed it and it was somewhat strategic as well.

"Alright so…you have one of the greens and pinks I need, and I have one of the red and yellow you need…but if I trade you those, you'll own that whole block, so that's no good…"

She was drinking as well, a beer beside her while tapping her chin thoughtfully. The blue areas, Boardwalk and Park Place, they each owned a property of those. She had Boardwalk and he had Park Place. Currently, she had houses on the greys while Mark had houses on the oranges and he was nearly wiping the floor with her.

"I'll trade you the yellow for the green. What'd ya say, handsome?"

They had been playing this game for hours with breaks. Breaks for snacks, breaks for the bathroom, it was now late afternoon after they had taken a long break to stretch their limbs and Mark was rather enjoying himself. They had moved to the floor, the game resting between them with all their cards and money organized how each saw fit. As it was later in the day, he had poured himself a Jack and Coke, with ice, and they had a fan going in a window to help circulate the light breeze from outside. He had changed into a pair of old denim shorts, his hair hanging loosely down his shoulders and back.

"I don't know, darlin'," He drawled, taking a slow drink, his emerald gaze wicked as he studied her. "That'd be a lot of rent to pay you… what're you offerin'?"

"Hey! You already have the oranges and they're more than my greys. The yellows are ALMOST as good as the greens. We still have the reds and pinks we can negotiate as well." Anciana remarked cheekily, extending her barefoot over the game, being careful not to knock anything over, to rub it up and down his bare chest. She did have to admit, he had an amazing chest and Anciana found herself wanting to lick those perky pectorals. "What do you want then for the green?" She asked, trying to inject a hint of playfulness in her voice and hadn't realized her crystalline eyes had darkened slightly.

Any other woman… touching him with her feet, Mark would have backhanded the bitch into oblivion. Feet, in general, were gross. He didn't like his feet being touched and didn't touch other people's feet. However, he shifted his head, so he could look down at said foot. Clean. Cared for. Soft. Painted toenails. He brought a hand up, catching Anciana's foot and ran a finger down along her arch.

"Depends on what you're willing to offer, darlin'."

Her eyes had darkened further, smoldering over and Anciana found herself moving across the board now, after pulling her foot away, to straddle him. They weren't discussing the board game anymore. She was fine with that and softly kissed him, taking his can of beer away to set it aside. They could taste the beer on each other's tongues and for some reason, it was intoxicating. This man was intoxicating in general. They were in a relationship, boyfriend and girlfriend, and there was no pressure. Just do whatever came naturally. Boyfriend and girlfriends fooled around, right? Of course, they did, they just never went past the point of having actual sex…at least until a few dates passed. They'd already explored each other orally, so that wasn't a huge deal to her.

"I missed you."

It was the truth, she hated being here by herself while he was on the road working, but knew that was how the bills were paid and a roof was kept over their heads. Technically, if she wanted to really look at it, his job was also the reason she was here, in this position, period. Or at least, a person related to his job, his own personal pain in the ass. That pain in the ass was the last thing on Mark's mind as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her firmly against his chest and he growled in her mouth, feeling her breasts through the thin material of her top, pressing against him. This was hell.

"I missed you too." He rumbled, rolling his forehead against hers, his eyes closing as he mentally coached down his erection.

For hours, Mark and Anciana made out like two horny teenagers, kissing and touching, exploring each other's bodies. They had moved from the floor to the couch in the living room, first sitting up with her straddled on his lap and then wound up laying down side-by-side. Mark stroked her through the jean shorts she had on while she did the same through his jeans until she was the one to delve beneath the material. She reminded him they'd already gone down the road of foreplay and there was no reason to backtrack on it. So, from the waist down, they were both naked and brushing against each other, her slick pussy gliding up and down his cock. Anciana also made sure since she came, Mark did as well by jacking him off, refusing to make him suffer more than he already was with the no sex clause.

For someone who didn't want to fuck him just yet, in the actual sense of the word because she had issues, such as not loving him, Mark was inclined to believe, underneath, was a slut dying to break free. Of course, she was HIS slut. No woman, who said NO to actual penetration and meant it, would be in a position where she was merely one slip away from being impaled. No, Anciana wanted to have sex with him, she was just being weird as hell about it, but he would play this out her way. Mark could feel how slick she was, how ready to go; she had drenched him with this foreplay and he could only imagine how it would be when they got to the real thing.

Love…that's what it boiled down to. She had to love him and could feel the love emanating from him for her. For some reason, it was hardwired inside of her mind to only have sex with someone she loved. Mark was her husband – boyfriend in roleplay world – and there was a reason she had married him prior to the accident. She made it abundantly clear to Dr. Mathis she did not resent or hate Mark for running her down, not when he took such great care of her and treated her like gold. He paid all of her hospital bills and everything from the accident as well, which was another reason he had to keep working on the road. Anciana could feel something stirring inside of her for him and it would only be a matter of time before the like turned to love. He just had to be patient a little longer and, hopefully, the wait would be worth it. The wait would indeed be worth it because, by the time they did eventually have proper sex, Mark was going to torment her. The way she was now tormenting him.

"Wait, stop…"

He was hard again because he was one of those blessed men who could cum, take a quick recovery or continue with foreplay, and be up and ready to go again within minutes. Mark needed a minute because… the temptation was rearing its ugly head. Being pressed against her the way he was, able to feel her slick folds caressing him, and not succumbing to the desire to fill her, claim her completely…he was going to do something she'd be very upset over.

Anciana chuckled, softly brushing her lips against his and extracted herself out of his arms, feeling extremely parched. She had a feeling Mark was too. "I'm gonna get us some water…and chapstick. Be right back."

She pulled her shorts on, not bothering with the panties and took off into the kitchen. A few minutes later, after giving him time to recover and breathe, Anciana returned with a glass of ice water and sat down on the couch, still pretty flushed from their intense make-out session. Mark had pulled his jeans back on, but didn't bother buttoning them and downed the entire glass of ice water. She handed over the chapstick silently with a smile and grabbed the remote to turn the television on for background noise.

Mark leaned back against the couch, applying the chapstick with a slight smirk. That had been a lot of kissing and both their lips were swollen, running the risk of severe chapping. Smart woman. Closing his eyes, he tipped his head back and let out a slow exhale, his entire body humming with energy that he wanted to vent, all on her deliciously tight little body. When he opened his eyes again, he surveyed their game, smirking.

"I accept your trade."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"You are such an ass!" Anciana laughed, smacking his arm and shook her head, not even caring about the game anymore. That was long past them. "It's dinner time. I am starving, and I know you have to be too." Standing, she stretched her arms in the air and leaned down to very lightly peck his lips. "I thawed some steaks in the fridge, why don't you go fire up the grill and I'll take care of the sides?" She stroked his chest, not able to keep her hands off him and smirked when he pushed her away gently but firmly. "I don't know the first thing about grilling, but you do." He'd made a few great meals on that grill while she was recovering. "Get busy, they're already marinated and ready to go."

"Mmmhmm…" He rolled his eyes at her, blatantly adjusting himself and smirked when Anciana's eyes narrowed in on the crotch of his jeans. Mark zipped himself up before heading outside, not bothering with shoes. "Maybe we can swim after supper." He called over his shoulder in a suggestion, knowing cooling down in the pool would be a great way of either giving him another painful erection or calm him.

"Sounds like a fine idea to me, handsome."

Anciana would need a cold swim after that heavy, hot make-out session. If she wasn't careful, she would end up having sex with this man before long. Wait…wasn't that the whole point of going to therapy… to GET her to that point? Now Anciana was confusing herself and groaned inwardly, shaking her head, while cutting up some vegetables. There were baked potatoes already made, they just had to be warmed up. She turned on the radio while she worked, feeling better about life than she had in a long time.

The woman had a thing for classic rock n roll, not that he minded. He listened to it as well, as well as some of the newer stuff. Mark stayed outside, eyeballing those steaks because he liked his done a certain way. He sure as hell didn't trust a restaurant because they overdid it, or it was underdone; had to hit that perfect medium for him. When Anciana brought him a cold longneck, Mark grinned down at her, reaching out to bring her lightly against him so he could brush his lips against hers, just a gentle caress, nothing demanding and then stepped away. It was going to be a beautiful night, no rain in the forecast, and Texas skies at night were something even he would stop to appreciate. Dinner outside, swimming… after the day they'd had, he definitely needed a cool down.

"Thank you, darlin'. You want me to set up the patio set, and we can eat out here?"

"Sounds perfect. Now don't get distracted or you'll burn our food."

Winking, Anciana headed back inside to check how the sides were doing. She could hear him chuckling behind her and smirked, moving to the beat of another great song by a band called AC/DC. Her taste in music hadn't changed, even though she didn't realize it, and it was nice to see Mark liked the same genre she did. While the sides finished up, Anciana walked outside with two plates, silverware and napkins to set the patio table. Mark announced the steaks were done and she rushed back inside to put the sides in serving dishes, carrying them out to set them on the table.

"I made a salad too, just so we have something healthy to eat." She joked, gesturing to a Caesar salad full of vegetables along with the different dressings that were in the fridge.

"Healthy?" Mark echoed, staring down at the table. "Darlin', we got our protein, veggies… and more veggies; it doesn't get much healthier than this."

He laughed, walking around to pull her chair out for her and caught the flush of pleasure on her face, gathering it was from the action and stored that away for later. Pretending to date him was apparently easier on Anciana than the marriage bit. If that was what it took, then he would play this roleplay thing out with her. He could practically hear Paul in his head, yelling at him that he was pushing his luck and shoved that away. Paul had the patience of a crackhead.

"If you say so, it's not very healthy being dripped in butter though." That was exactly what the potatoes and vegetables were in too. "Then again, the dressing isn't that healthy either so…whatever, you only live once."

Shrugging, she began digging in after Mark took his seat and prepping her plate. Dinner was consumed in amicable silence, each too hungry to acknowledge the other at the moment. After she finished eating, Anciana looked out at the beautiful sunset and knew dark would follow soon enough.

"Still up for that swim?"

Mark nodded, gesturing behind her at the house. When Anciana turned in her seat to look, he cleared his throat. "Up near the eaves, I got spotlights. They'll light it up out here and there are lights on the bottom of the pool."

Given his job and his preference for night time anyway… it had seemed like a good idea if a bit pricey. He leaned back in his chair, using the napkin to blot at his mouth and let out a sigh of contentment. She was going to spoil him with these homecooked meals of hers.

"I'll clean up, you go on and get into your swimsuit." He could very easily remember that suit too because she had worn it when they had gone camping. That had been a memorable, if not frustrating and blue ball inducing, trip. "Go on, Ciana, I got it." She had cooked, most of it, he could clean up.

"Thanks, handsome."

Anciana headed inside to do as she was told, going upstairs to change into her bathing suit. She had two to choose from and decided on the red bikini, remembering how Mark couldn't take his eyes off her while she wore it during camping. Red was apparently his favorite color because he told her he enjoyed seeing her in the red nightgown she owned. It wasn't crocheted like her black one, just simple and tied around the neck, back, and hips. She pulled the tie out of her hair, fluffing it out a bit in the mirror and neglected to apply any kind of makeup. Swimming, it would come off in an instant. Grabbing a towel, she wrapped it around her waist and headed back downstairs to join her husband – no boyfriend – for a night swim.

Mark had preferences in clothing, such as texture, cut, and color, especially on a woman. He was a domineering sort of guy that way. With Anciana and that beautiful hair of hers, along with those crystalline blue eyes, that red shade set everything off, accented it. Red was currently his favorite color, as long as it was on his wife. While she was upstairs, he cleaned up supper, put things away and got the lights on, figuring she didn't need to slip, fall and hit her head again. It'd be his luck that jogged all her memories. Then he slipped up to 'his' room, digging out an old pair of black swim trunks and then glanced down at his pale complexion.

When she didn't see Mark anywhere, Anciana figured he was changing and slipped her towel off to dip her toes into the water. It was the perfect temperature, not too hot and not too cold. Bathwater. The sun had baked it nice and warm, so they wouldn't freeze. Without waiting, Anciana dove into the clear liquid and surfaced just as Mark arrived on the patio.

"This water is glorious. Get your handsome butt in here and join me." She ordered cheekily, leaning back to begin doggy paddling. Another thing she hadn't forgotten to do, apparently. It just came naturally, and she wondered if she swam a lot before the accident.

Mark instead took a few minutes to finish off his beer while watching her swim, taking in her even movements. The way she glided through the water and then… then she had started doing that swim where people looked like dogs and he began snickering. A second later, he felt water right on the front of his shorts and down his leg, his mouth falling open. Anciana had splashed him! Draining the rest of his beer, Mark set the bottle down and dived in headfirst, easily cutting through the water until he was able to swim by her, tugging at her bottoms though not enough to pull them down.

Anciana laughed, pushing his hands away from her bottoms and shook her finger at him. "Naughty man, we're supposed to be cooling off, remember?" She reminded him, sliding her hand up his chest teasingly and splashed him again before taking off through the water.

Mark caught up to her in no time, pulled her against him and dunked her. She surfaced sputtering water and glared playfully at him, her blue eyes gleaming evilly. Two could play that game. When Mark turned his back on her, after thinking he'd won, she hopped up and managed to dunk him in return. Turnabout was fair play.

This was how he knew she was related to that bald bastard, she was a sneaky little shit. Unlike her relative, however, she wasn't annoying or malicious about it. Mark felt like growling but not wanting to take a bunch of water up the nose as he went under and instantly turned, feeling her legs on his shoulders. He brushed his nose against her, right up the slight inward trail of her lips and could feel her legs shudder. Just as quickly as he had done it, he had surfaced and was untangling her from him. It had felt like a long time, but that had all occurred in a matter of seconds.

His nose against her nethers heated Anciana up all over again. It made her heady…and Mark had tasted her plenty earlier in the day during their foreplay. Anciana followed him, tapping his back and waited for him to turn around before bringing his mouth down on hers. She nipped his bottom lip with her teeth, draping her arms around his neck and reached down between them to stroke him a few times through his trunks. Then, she swam away with a triumphant grin on her face, hearing him growl out and decided if she was to be set on fire in water, so was he.

Blue balls were a very real, very alarming condition that most men, unfortunately, experienced at least once in their life. Their balls did not actually turn blue. What happened was basically a build-up of sperm fluids in the testicles, and it tended to happen when a man was aroused for extended periods without being able to cum. Mark had those issues…because of her. Luckily for him, he had gotten off today, or else that very painful condition that made him feel like he had cramps going on in bad places, along with balls the size of watermelons, would've been on the menu tonight. His eyes were narrowed as he watched Anciana swim away, waiting until she had glanced back before reaching beneath the water to adjust himself, maybe giving himself a stroke or two, and smirked at the flush in her cheeks. Maybe she was voyeuristic.

"Like to watch, darlin'?"

"I'm not sure…"

Anciana was flaming and had to dunk her own head under water, swimming all the way down to touch the floor of the pool before surfacing 30 seconds later. The water was cooler the farther down one swam, and she needed the cold right now. When she surfaced, Mark was right in front of her as their chests brushed together, her nipples poking through the thin material of her top. Her body was on fire all over again. Why did he insist on torturing her?

"I'll watch you…if you watch me." For him, she was willing to experiment and maybe she did have a voyeuristic side.

His response was the grab Anciana's hand and guide it underwater, to her own front, a wicked grin spreading across his lips. "I will definitely watch you, Ciana."

Looping an arm around her waist, Mark guided her to the far corner of the pool, where it got shallow. Built into the pool walls were wide steps, places to get in and out as well as just sit and lounge. Right now, he wanted her lounging, so he could see her if she actually went through with this. When she settled herself, but stared at him expectantly, Mark eased himself down, his erection straining the material of his shorts.

It wasn't the first time she had touched herself, but it WAS the first time she let someone watch her. The challenge in his hypnotic eyes was clear as day. For some reason, Anciana took exception to be challenged and welcomed it, embraced it. When Mark eased his shorts down enough to free his erected cock, Anciana reciprocated by doing the same thing. With her eyes locked on his, her fingers slid down her taut stomach until they found their mark. Anciana caressed herself, leaning back more to where her nethers were out of the water and just her feet were covered.

"Mmm…" She let out a breathy moan, stroking her bundle of nerves and moved her eyes to his hand stroking his cock, never stopping her own ministrations.

"Spread your legs, darlin'." He ordered in a husky drawl, watching as she did, which meant she was now completely and properly exposed to him.

Mark could see her fingers manipulating her clit and he was also aware she was doing the same thing he was. Watching. He slowly stroked his cock, flicking his thumb over the head and let out a low hiss. Mark didn't just keep it slow, but would go faster, letting his hips move in time, and then slower… not about to end the show ahead of her.

"Finger yourself, Ciana."

Slowly, almost hesitantly, she did. He had to wonder if she was imagining what it would be like if that finger was his cock instead. Indeed she was, though she knew her finger was NOTHING compared to Mark's cock and added a second finger, gasping softly. Her head lulled back, eyes closing, no longer watching him because she was too involved in the sensations she created with her fingers. No, they were supposed to be watching each other and she couldn't get wrapped up in herself. Her eyes opened, looking at him and pumped her fingers faster and deeper, driving herself closer to that fine razor edge.

"I-I'm close…oh, Mark, I'm so close…" She informed him breathlessly, snaking her tongue out to wet her lips and could see he was as well.

It was written all over his face.

In what was probably a bad move, Mark was across the shallow water and half pulling her into his lap. "Keep going." He growled, his hand dropping back down to his throbbing erection.

He caught her lips with his, biting down on Anciana's bottom lip. They were both becoming too wrapped in themselves, in reaching that point of no return. Mark wanted to, at the very least, feel her body when she brought herself to her own climax. Turning, she sat straddled on his lap and leaned her head back against his shoulder, her fingers still thrusting in and out of her.

"You too…" She remarked, chest rising and falling rapidly, the hot coil within her threatening to spring free. Her bottoms were currently floating in the water behind them and neither had no fucks to give. "Mark!" She cried out, feeling him capture her lips again after she turned her head enough to where he could. Her body tensed, trembling and the rush finally came, her fluids rushing out of her body coating her fingers. "Maaark!"

Screaming his name to the night, with no one around them, made it more exotic, especially when she was half straddling him. Her entire body quivered, strung tight and practically vibrated him as he positioned the head of his cock right near where her fingers had been, next to her clit. Mark finished right there against her, liquid fire coursing through his veins.

"Fuck, Ciana…" He growled, trailing his mouth down the side of her throat, biting into the flesh between neck and shoulder.

There hadn't been penetration and yet that was one of the most intense orgasms, and perhaps one of his most quiet, which just seemed to make it all the more intense. Letting go, he began kissing the bite marks he had left behind, feeling his own heart pounding furiously in his chest. He could've done it. He could've taken her right there on the pool steps and Anciana would've let him. The fact he didn't, and climaxed right against her instead, made her heart explode with a newfound feeling for him. He respected her choice and wasn't pushy, letting her make the decisions on what happened between them. Though Mark had initiated this, she wasn't complaining and smiled, sinking back against him as he continued kissing her neck.

"You're amazing…" She murmured, once her breathing had gone back to normal and felt his arm tighten around her. "You're not sleeping in the guest room tonight. I want you to hold me like you are now while we sleep." They would no doubt fool around more and Anciana would do it happily.

For the life of him, Mark was having a hard time keeping up with this woman's mental thought process. One minute she ran cold, the next she was on fire. First, it was no sex. Then there was enough sex minus actual penetration to last him several lifetimes. Then she wanted to pretend they weren't married, dating instead, because it was less pressure, so he had sort of moved out to give her space and now… he was going to get whiplash.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

For the past few days, Anciana had noticed tension from Mark and she quickly figured it out what it was. She'd walked in on him in the shower jacking off and…immediately left him to do his thing. Just because she was on her period and couldn't fool around or refused to -that was a gross thought-, didn't mean they couldn't be intimate in other ways. Mark didn't always have to reciprocate whatever she did for him, but the man was adamant about doing it. It bothered her, and she had no idea why. She had masturbated plenty of times while he was gone, but they were both home and she would've gladly gotten rid of his problem for him.

"We need to talk, darlin'." He informed her flatly, running his fingers through his hair two days later. Taking off a week from week to spend with her might've been a bad idea. "Sit down." Mark patted the couch and then moved away to the other side when she dropped her pert backside down. "We need to, uh…" How to word this without pissing her off or hurting her feelings was the ultimate question because Mark didn't want to do either. However, at the same time, he was a drowning man here. "Talk about this… this roleplaying thing of yours."

It was obvious he was frustrated with her and, even now, he had to distance himself from her. Anciana stayed right where she was, clasping her hands in the lap and knew whatever was about to come out of his mouth she would not like hearing. "Okay, what about it?" She asked, keeping her voice carefully neutral and leaned back against the couch.

Taking a breath and sorting out the words, Mark began to carefully explain his issues and confusion. She was a confusing woman, period. And on her period, which meant she had been skittish about him going near that area when he really didn't care. It was just a natural thing, but… some people were squeamish and found it gross, he got that. Mark explained, gently and with more patience than he felt, he was starting to have issues with the way she was confusing him. Her actions tended to go against her words, and it was a mind trip, to say the least. Here he had thought he was the master at mind games; Anciana wasn't even trying and she was doing a good job.

"I don't know what you want from me."

Anciana had heard every word he said, digested it and felt…lost. She thought they were doing well – very well, in fact. Was it this difficult between them the first time? No, it couldn't be. She married him after only knowing him a month for crying out loud!

"This…doesn't add up. How could I fall for you so easily and marry you, after only a month of knowing you before, but now it's so much harder? You're not the only one who is frustrated and confused, Mark. I am too. It should be easy…it should be simple…not like this. M-Maybe we're…just not meant to be together anymore. Maybe I should go back to Vegas and live with Cameria and leave you alone, let you get on with your life. I'm healed from the accident and I can resume my life the way it was before…I met you. Because…as much fooling around as we've done, I won't have sex with someone I don't love. And I don't love you, not right now anyway."

"I don't get that, why not? What's so different now?" Mark mused, staring at her intently, just a flash of venom flickering in his gaze before it turned back to normal. "Maybe your mind isn't letting you get past the fact I hurt you…" He ran a hand down his face. There was no way in Hell he was letting her leave him, not now, not after all the time and resources and money invested in her, in this scheme. And he wasn't keen on letting Anciana see his true self, not just yet, so he steeled himself. "Maybe we need a change of scenery or something…" They had tried that too. "I just know I can't keep doing this, Ciana. I have memories of us, and those feelings just don't go away because yours did." Which was all on him. "I can't keep holding you, touching you, and not getting all of it, darlin', it's fucking killing me."

Frowning, Anciana understood where he was coming from and figured, if the roles were reversed, she would feel the same way he did. It must've hurt him to know she did not love him anymore. The only way to break this compulsion she was under was getting her memories back. Cameria had done some research for her and found a hypnotist in the area she planned on visiting once Mark was back on the road. She wasn't telling him about it because she didn't know if it would work or not. Still, she had to try. They could not keep doing this and she couldn't torture him, which sounded like she was doing.

"That's why I think it would be best if I leave and go back to Vegas with Cameria. I thought we were progressing, but you don't think so and…I don't know what else to do." Bringing her knees up, Anciana buried her face in them and began crying, curling up in the corner of the couch.

Cameria had officially made his hit list and she had even surpassed Austin by claiming the number one spot. Obviously, Anciana was talking with that man-hating, harpy bitch again and, whatever Cameria had been whispering in her ear -poison, no doubt- was the driving factor behind Anciana's new determination to go back to Vegas. Not happening. Mark would arrange for an accident tonight. Sighing, he moved to pull Anciana into his arms, ignoring her physical protests and buried his face in her neck.

"I don't want you to leave, darlin'." He informed her in a whisper, his lips brushing against her pulse point. "I love you, Anciana, don't leave me."

"I-I'm hurting you though…I'm hurting you and I don't mean to…" Anciana's voice completely broke while she spoke, not bothering to hold back her emotions. "I-I want to love you and I want to move forward, but I can't, and I don't know why. Please, Mark…" She struggled harder against him, trying to break free and began crying harder, tears pouring down her cheeks in two rapid streams. "Goddamn it, stop it! You're making it worse! Just let me go! LET ME GO!" Not realizing her own strength, Anciana vaulted herself off his lap and landed on the floor with a small thud, breathing heavily. Power…there was power in her arms and legs she didn't know she had. "We've only been roleplaying for a couple days, Mark." She reminded him, sniffling and wiping tears away from her cheeks, slowly rising to her shaking feet. "Either be patient or I'm gone. I won't hurt you more than I already have. I'm pressuring myself too much about this and I just need to let it flow naturally. I'm trying too many things too soon and it's confusing me and my body because, my body does want you and so does my mind, but not my heart. Not yet. When I ask you to hold me at night while we sleep, it's because I feel safe and secure in your arms. I didn't realize sleeping in your arms at night was such an ordeal for you. So, from now on, just sleep in the guest room and…I won't try to tempt you any more or whatever it is I've been doing."

Mark was going to strangle her. He was going to wrap his overly large hands around Anciana's slender throat and begin squeezing. He was going to watch her face turn a bunch of awesome colors, her eyes bulge, and then just twist and snap her bones. She was threatening to leave him for not being patient… what a cunt! None of that left his mind and his eyes were blank, guarding his thoughts. Mark had shown her more patience than any normal person would, in these circumstances, and he was seriously considering if she was worth this great game of his. Anciana dead would be just as effective as Anciana alive and amnesiac. He was moving back to her, pulling her struggling form into his arms and stood up.

"You are not leaving me, Anciana." He informed her, his mouth descending on hers hungrily, passionately.

Instead of returning the kiss, Anciana shoved him away again and this time ran out of the living room, needing time alone. She didn't want to be near Mark right now, needing to gather her thoughts. His kisses made her mind fuzzy and unable to think properly. Try as he might, she saw the anger in his eyes at her ultimatum to be patient, but there was nothing more she could do. She didn't care what he said – she would leave him and go back to Vegas with Cameria if that's what it took to gain a sense of normalcy in her life. That, and she refused to hurt him anymore. Walking along the property line, barefoot, Anciana cried and finally settled down near a tree, enjoying the shade it provided since she'd been walking in the sun. She never felt so alone and out of place in her life, even though she had a loving, understanding and somewhat patient husband.

"Maybe I should just…do it. Just bite the bullet and have sex with him. Maybe that'll sort my feelings out better…" She muttered to herself, leaning back against the tree and shut her eyes, enjoying the tranquility.

When Paul received a very random message on his pager, just a series of numbers, he sighed. In another day or so, Cameria would have an accident and he didn't want to know what the woman had done to piss Taker off. From his understanding, Mark and Anciana had been getting along rather well, so something had changed.

He let her run away, snorting derisively as he crushed his pager in his fist, shattering it before dropping the pieces into the trash can. She definitely had amnesia; no self-respecting Austin ran away. Mark made his way to his garage, which was a standalone, off from the ranch and opened both large bay doors, letting in the light. He peeled off his tank top and grabbed a hair tie from the top of his open tool chest, quickly pulling his hair back into a bun at the base of his neck before surveying the project he had been putting off for a while.

His prized Harley Davidson, which he was in the process of restoring after an accident. She needed her alone time, fine. Mark would vent his frustrations and anger out here on a task that required his entire focus and blast the hell out of whatever was in the tape deck of his stereo. Guns N Roses, that'd work. He had a fridge out here freshly stocked with beer, he was set for the night. Mark had never lost his head the way he felt precariously close to doing before, and certainly not over a woman. The very idea of her threatening to leave HIM… that hadn't set well at all and he wasn't about to explore all the reasons why.

That was how it went for the next few days. Mark was set to go back on the road the following day and Anciana had left him alone to work in his garage. She didn't make dinner, just got herself something to eat and drink whenever she needed. Other than that, she stayed locked up in the master bedroom and watched television or read a book. Mark had quite a collection of books and she wondered if he read all of them. Her body quivered and ached, needing him to put the raging fire inside of her out. It was a physical response after what they'd done and now nothing was happening…because of her. Because of her insistence on only having sex with him if she loved him. They hadn't spoken more than 3 words to each other for the rest of the week and now he was leaving in the morning. Anciana sat in the window, staring out with it open and wore the red nightgown Mark loved seeing her in. She hadn't even noticed the color when putting it on, just plucked one out of the dresser after a shower. With her knees drawn up, her arms wrapped around them while staring out at the sea of stars and moon.

Mark felt marginally better. His Harley was looking beautiful again, subsequently spending a lot of time buffing out, sanding and repainting the pieces he had disassembled, after being a moron and taking a slick curve a bit too fast. Cameria would be having her accident soon, while he was on the road with a very good alibi, and that was pretty much it. He knew things between him and Anciana couldn't be left like this, or else when he got home next week, he wouldn't have a wife waiting to greet him. She would leave; he knew because of her forced system reboot or who she had been in the past, prior to him screwing up her life.

Sighing, he walked upstairs quietly, in just a pair of black pajama bottoms, fresh out of his own shower and locking up the house, his damp hair falling down his back. He stopped before her open door, frowning as he took her in. She looked so… broken, actually. Quietly, Mark walked up until he was within reach and knelt, catching the flash of her eye as she observed him moving without actually looking at her and reached out to wrap his arms around her. She was tense, and he moved so his cheek was brushing hers.

"I'm sorry, darlin'." He whispered, taking in the nighttime view as well as breathing in her scent.

"I'm sorry too." She murmured in the softest voice, slowly turning to where her eyes locked with his – sorrow-filled crystalline blue on remorseful green. "I don't want to leave, Mark. I don't want to leave you. I know my feelings for you are growing and it saddens me at the thought of leaving, of not seeing you anymore." She caressed his face with her hand, tears shimmering in her eyes and felt his forehead rest against hers. "I've done a lot of thinking and…I…" Chewing her bottom lip, Anciana stood up from the windowsill and took his hand, guiding him over to the bed by the hand. "I've been fighting a losing battle here, trying to convince myself to wait when my actions have told you something completely different." Reaching down, Anciana pulled the nightgown up over her head and let it drop to the floor beside them, revealing just a pair of white cotton panties. "I'm done fighting. I want you…and I hope you still want me…" Mark had been more than patient and waited long enough; Anciana decided to go with her instincts and every one of them told her to let this man have his way with her completely. "You're my husband. You're not my boyfriend and I'm done with the pretending and roleplaying. We're husband and wife and it's about damn time we start acting like it. Now make love to your wife, Mr. Calaway. She's ready."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

For the first time in a very, very long while, Mark had lost usage of his tongue. She had just thrown him for the biggest loop ever. But he wasn't a complete idiot; he knew if he didn't do this now, she would take it as a personal rejection and things would never recover from that. That nightgown, the one he adored, was in a puddle on the floor and his eyes had taken on a darker color, desire flooding them. This wasn't what he had come in here for, but he wasn't passing it up either. Dropping down to his knees before her, he tipped his head back, feeling her fingers moving to delve into his hair and ran his hands up her ankles, her calves, until his palms were cupping her white cotton panty clad cheeks, squeezing gently.

"You sure?" He rumbled, unable to keep the huskiness from his tone. At her nod, he inhaled deeply and leaned forward, letting his lips brush against her inner thigh. His blonde haired, blue-eyed goddess… and he planned on worshipping her all night long.

At first, Anciana had to force herself to relax and submit to him, but that quickly passed. Mark was that good in the bedroom and made her feel beautiful, wanted, sexy and alive. As if they hadn't gotten enough foreplay with each other, Mark was hell-bent on tasting her all over again before getting down to business. He kept her standing there, draping one leg over his broad shoulder, after removing her panties with his teeth and burrowed his head between her thighs.

"Mark…oh god…"

He was right, she had called him god and tightened her fingers in his hair, gently grinding her pussy against his hungry mouth. Right before he brought her over that edge, Mark had pulled back and smirked devilishly up at her before standing to his full height and pushed her down on the bed. Anciana went willingly, enjoying the feeling of his body against hers and moaned at the taste of herself on his tongue when he captured her lips. Her eyes widened when he demanded to know who she belonged to, his mouth now hovered over her ear and Anciana shivered.

"You…only you, Mark…"

"Yes." He hissed in pure satisfaction, one hand between their bodies,

Guiding the head of his cock up and down her wet slit, her hips began to rise, her body likely subconsciously trying to get him inside of her. He had felt her tightness around his fingers and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, around other parts… well, he was about to test just how much restraint he had. Sliding home in one slow, steady thrust, Mark buried himself to the hilt inside of her and felt his eyes roll into the back of his head, gritting his teeth.

"All mine."

His imagination hadn't been anywhere near the mark.

"Yes…yes yourrrrssss…" That last word dragged on seemingly forever as Mark slid home inside of her, stretching her to her absolute limits.

His fingers were NOTHING compared to the size and girth in his pants and Anciana was now discovering that. Her thighs trembled, hands and nails clutching his shoulders as he stayed put, allowing her to adjust to his size. Smart move on his part because the pain outweighed the pleasure at the moment. Why did it hurt? Hadn't she had sex with him before? It was an intense burning sensation, followed by a zap of pain that was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"O-Oh god…" She breathed out, digging her nails harder into his shoulders and a few tears leaked from the corners of her eyes.

Mark knew right then and there she had been a virgin, until just now and he hid it from his face, but inside it was screwing with him. Not emotionally, he didn't feel bad, not at all. But a virgin? Her? The woman was walking sex and had teased and tormented him like a seasoned whore! He meant that in the nicest way possible because he knew Anciana was not, now or in the past, the type to sell herself. She just had known what the hell she was doing. A virgin. Steve Austin's twin sister was a virgin. And now-now he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he was never letting her go. She was HIS.

"It'll pass, Ciana," He whispered, brushing his lips against hers soothingly. "It's been so damn long, darlin'." Mark wasn't an average sized man by any stretch of the imagination.

Indeed, it had. 5 months, to be precise, give or take a few days. That was quite a long time to wait to have sex, nearly half a year, so no wonder it hurt a little bit more than usual. At least, she was assuming. Anciana had no idea she'd been a virgin when Mark struck her down in Vegas and brought her here to heal…and keep her under his thumb. She didn't think anything of the pain and soon, it did subside and was replaced with exquisite pleasure. Anciana experimentally rolled her hips up, moving with him inside of her and moaned out uncontrollably.

"You feel so good inside of me, Mark…there's no way I didn't miss this…" She smiled, accepting another kiss from him and felt his cock leave her before thrusting back inside. "Make me yours…completely…"

All Mark could do was nod, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead as he held himself in check. A virgin. She had been a virgin. He couldn't process that properly on some level and, on another, it had brought something very dark and very possessive to the surface. To help with any lingering discomfort, he reached between them, finding her clit and began pleasuring Anciana with his fingers as well, leading her in a steady rhythm.

"I missed it." Mark informed her, lying through his teeth, not that she would know it.

"Good, now show me how much." Anciana challenged breathlessly, wrapping her legs around his waist to drive him even deeper inside of her.

His lips caught hers again as their bodies rocked together in unison, his finger stimulating her further causing her body to flood with newfound heat. Why the hell was she waiting so long to do this with him? It was incredible, just like him, and Anciana suddenly wanted to ride him, to prolong this as long as possible. As if reading her mind, Mark rolled them to where she was straddling him, his cock still deep inside of her and her hips began rolling of their own accord. The new position caused burning, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the first time and Anciana focused on the pleasure, raining kisses on his chest. He had no problem in letting Anciana take the reigns, so to speak, and moved his hands back to her firm backside, lazily helping her along as he stared up into her face. Watching the spasms that indicated some pain and a lot of pleasure.

"Slow down, darlin'." He ordered when she began riding him a bit haphazardly, not about to have her come down and break his dick. "We got all the time in the world." Mark would call in and claim injury if he had to. He wanted to do nothing except stay in this bed with her. "You feel so good, Ciana, tight and so wet for me..." All for him and only for him, if he had his way.

Why was she so inexperienced? Amnesia, she kept having to remind herself, chewing her bottom lip and released it once they found a steady yet amazing pace. "Mmm so do you…so hard and thick…"

He was pulsing, throbbing against her walls and Anciana knew she was coming to the end. Mark didn't let that happen as he sat upright, capturing her mouth and took the reigns back, thrusting harder, faster and deeper inside of her. Still, it wasn't enough to bring them both of the edge and she knew he was prolonging it, not having a problem with it.

"Mark…" She mumbled against his jaw, kissing along it and nibbled on his Adam's apple before being pushed back enough to let his mouth capture a nipple in his mouth, his thrusts never ceasing.

Mark was determined to make this last, to give her some new memories to either really despise down the road or cherish forever. Either way, she'd never forget; he'd see to that. He lathed attention on her nipples, her collarbone, face, and throat, everywhere his lips and tongue could get, he was there. Then eventually he changed their positions again, dragging her off the bed in order to plant her bent over it, resting her upper body on her elbows, her feet on the floor and her perfect backside and dripping sex exposed to his view.

"Mmm, delicious." In this position, Anciana would feel absolutely everything and then some.

Feel absolutely everything was an understatement. "Mark!" She cried out, curling her toes against the carpeted floor and had to keep her posture because he was pounding in and out of her.

Her nails dug into the comforter as his tongue slid up her spine to her neck, his body curled around her as their fingers laced together on the bed. Mark pulled her up to where her back was pressed against his chest, his hand wrapped around her throat to prevent her from dropping back down on the bed. It was erotic…she enjoyed every second of it and could feel the hot coil inside of her threatening to spring free, to end both of their torment.

"I-I'm close…oh god, I'm so close…"

He used his free hand to lift her up, so she was sort of sitting in the air, relying on his strength to do this. One arm curled beneath those thighs, her back to his chest, and he did have to let go of her throat, raising her carefully up and down his length. Pressing her thighs together, Mark nearly castrated himself in the process, the breath leaving him at the new pressure.

"Fuck!" He cursed, knowing he would be filling his now legal wife full of his semen.

Anciana wasn't on anything, he knew that, and brought his mouth down on the side of her throat, smirking as he sucked and nipped at her delectable flesh. His new goal: get her pregnant. This new position was…mind-blowing, to put it mildly. She wasn't scared for a second, knowing Mark wouldn't drop her. It did not take long at all before she spasmed around his cock, coming to her end and shattered completely, screaming his name in the process. With a few sharper thrusts, Mark came as well, filling her with his warm seed and Anciana shuddered from the intensity of his explosion. He kept thrusting, growling out his release and finally they both collapsed on the bed in sweaty, satisfied heaps. Anciana was spooned up against him, trying to catch her breath and slow her racing heart, coughing a few times.

"W-Wow…what the hell was I thinking waiting so long to do THAT?" She wondered aloud, hearing Mark chuckle and turned her head to accept a soft kiss from him. "That was incredible…"

"It always is between us, darlin'." He informed her, feeling her nestling back against him and draped his massive thigh possessively over her, pinning her in place. "Mine." Mark growled, his face now in her damp hair and heard her soft chuckle, his arm tightening just a fraction. He closed his eyes, focusing on calming his thrumming body and smiled. That had definitely been worth the wait, and he couldn't even remember being impatient now. He only hoped that the physicality between them soothed her mind.

"I wish I could remember all the other times, but…at least I have this time…and the rest of our lives to build new memories with you." Anciana enjoyed being snuggled with her husband, but there was one last piece of business they had to take care of tonight. "Let me roll over, so I can look into your eyes." Mark reluctantly let her roll to where she faced him, his arm snaking around her body again and softly kissed him, fingering the silver necklace around his neck that held both of their rings. "I was a fool to take my ring off and try to pretend we weren't married. I want my ring back…I want to be your wife again and really try this time to get back to where we used to be."

"No complaints from me, darlin'." He agreed with a pleased grin, reaching back to undo the clasp. In seconds, that ring was back on her finger and he could not keep the smirk off his face. "We'll get there again, Ciana," Mark reassured her, caressing the back of her face with his hand. "I promise you we will." At her smile, he leaned forward to tenderly kiss her. "How're you feeling?" And his knuckles brushed lower, letting her know which area he was talking about due to her being a virgin.

"Sore." It was the first and honest answer that popped in her mind, the smile not leaving her face. "It's a good sore though. I guess not having sex for a while does that to a person." Anciana joked, slowly sitting up and laughed at the trembling her thighs gave off.

They were convulsing on their own and it was a weird feeling. Mark was out of that bed instantly and lifted her in his arms, carrying her into the master bathroom where the garden tub was located. He set her on the sink, kissed her soundly and ordered her to stay put while he prepared a bath for both of them with some sweet-smelling oils and Epsom salt. Within minutes, her body was submerged in the hot soothing liquid with him behind her and Anciana snuggled against him.

"Mmm thank you, handsome…" The soreness had already diminished.

"I'll admit, my reasons are somewhat selfish, darlin'." He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her before leaning back into the tub. Letting his head lull as he inhaled, Mark just enjoyed the steaming water along with her body pressed into his. He was totally relaxed now. "I don't plan on letting you get much sleep tonight, Mrs. Calaway." There was something very interesting about calling her that now, about her being his wife, because now it was quite legal and valid.

Paul could rest easy with that fact.

"But don't you have a flight to catch in the morning to go back to work?"

Anciana turned enough to look up at him, her chest now pressed against his and caressed his shoulders, smiling at how relaxed he was. That was a much better look on him than the constant tension his face carried. When he informed her he was taking more time off, she shook her head and sat up a little.

"There's no need for you to do that. Take me with you. Show me the world you live in and what you do for a living." She kissed him passionately, already feeling him rise to the occasion beneath the water and moaned in his mouth. "I'm getting cabin fever being left behind here all the time. I'd like to come with you…and besides, we have A LOT of lost time to make up for."

"Seems like an eternity." He muttered, which was sort of true, he supposed. Mark considered it, bringing her on the road and nodded. That had been the eventual game plan anyway and now he found he really wanted her there, knowing that was probably chemicals screwing with his brain from the tumultuous sex they just had. "You sure, darlin'? You may get burnt out with all the traveling."

For some reason, Anciana felt an excitement blossom inside of her she never knew existed. "I won't, I promise. And if I do, I will come back home, but…I'm excited about this." The excitement shimmered in her crystalline eyes as Anciana nuzzled his throat, caressing his chest, shoulders, and arms. "Besides, with me there, we can have all the sex we want when you're not working." She grinned seductively, nipping his bottom lip and rubbed her nose against his.

Oh, NOW she was a nympho who wanted to jump on his dick… Mark didn't even bother with being indignant, he just growled and pulled her up onto his lap. He shifted forward in the tub, giving her room to wrap her legs around his waist and smirked when she looked down. Mark was up and ready to go again, not bothering with reaching down to see if Anciana was ready. He could feel it and, with just a little maneuvering, he had slid home again in her receptive body.

After their third round, Anciana took a small break to pack her belongings for the road. Mark ordered her to take at least 2 weeks' worth since he had a lot coming up in the month of June. Tomorrow would mark the first of the month. After she was packed and ready to go, Anciana slid into bed and wasn't surprised to find Mark fast asleep. She smiled, kissed him softly and slid in beside him, feeling him drape his arm over her waist to pull her closer to him in his sleep. He murmured something about her and her heart melted, knowing he was dreaming of her. Closing her eyes, Anciana fell asleep instantly and it was the best night's rest she'd had since her accident.

Apparently, getting laid had improved Taker's mood greatly because he had called off his hit on Cameria, for now. Paul was ready to alert their contact in the event the woman needed to have an accident, but… for now, she was safe. He was also given the orders to change up the traveling arrangements to accommodate Taker's wife joining him and grinned at that, Taker's legal wife in all ways now. Taker wasn't keen on specifics, but… at least the man had cemented that, one thread loose in this web his Phenom was weaving and had finally tied it up. He had a feeling with Anciana joining them, things were going to get a lot more interesting.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Anciana and Mark slept on the plane, snuggled against each other with a blanket and pillows, after talking about a few things. He warned her about a few men on the roster he didn't see eye-to-eye with. One of them was Stone Cold Steve Austin…she was ordered to stay away from him for her own safety and wellbeing. Austin was…dangerous, it sounded like, and Anciana trusted her husband wholeheartedly. She promised to do her best to steer clear of the man, appeasing Mark greatly. Another man she was to stay away from was named Kane. Mark didn't really go into detail about him, but assured her he was also dangerous and not to be trusted. Anciana hadn't gotten past the Mankind feud in Mark's career with the videotapes, so she had no idea who Kane was. Steve Austin had a couple matches with Mark during that time period, but not a full-fledged feud, so at least she knew what he looked like. Apparently, Kane had a red and black mask on and never took it off. Mark didn't bother elaborating and Anciana didn't question it.

Balancing who his wife thought he was, with who he actually was, while on the road, was going to be interesting. When she had been at home, it had been easy because it was just them and there was no one around to question it or drive him up a wall and bring out the darkness he had been hiding her from. Not to mention, by psychiatrist's standards, he was insane. Austin, her staying away from him, was self-explanatory. Kane… well, Anciana didn't need to know about her burnt brother-in-law. Kane was the wild card and Mark would, if necessary, set him on fire, on purpose this time. When the plane landed, they were greeted by Paul, who was acting as his personal assistant, so to speak and he was very well paid for it… not to mention, for as sweet as he came across, Mr. Moody had a vicious streak a mile wide and got his own kicks out of situations.

That was why they worked so well together. "Mrs. Calaway, you're looking radiant as ever, my dear."

After a night full of reconciling as husband and wife, how could she not be? From the top of her sun-kissed blonde hair to the tips of her red painted toes, Anciana glowed and had a smile on her face a mile wide. She was so happy to be on the road with her husband instead of stuck in Texas at the house.

"Why thank you, Bill. You're looking spritely yourself."

Instead of shaking his hand, she hugged him around the neck and kissed his cheek while Mark retrieved their luggage. Summer was upon them, so she had on a pair of jean shorts and a red tank top with a jean jacket, just in case she got cold in the arena. Brown sandals adorned her feet and her hair was pulled up in a messy bun on top of her head, a few tendrils hanging down framing her face. A few minutes later, they were on their way out of the airport and to the hotel to check-in. They didn't have to be at the arena for a few more hours.

"I've reorganized your travel and lodging for the next two weeks, as well as taken the liberty of providing lists of local amusements and areas of interest for Mrs. Calaway." Paul informed his Phenom from the front seat of the rental he was driving. Taker was in the front passenger side with the seat all the way back to accommodate his legs and she was in the back on his side. When Anciana gave him a confused look in the rearview mirror, he flashed her a smile. "Mark will need workout time, as well as any business obligations or appearances he'll need to meet. Usually, these events are work-related, so you won't be able to attend. I figured you may want to have something to do other than sit in a hotel room."

"He must really like you, darlin', he doesn't even go that far for me." Mark chuckled, the sound reverberating around the car.

"Bill, please call me Anciana. You don't have to be formal with me." She patted his shoulder and gave it a squeeze before staring out the window, her eyes taking in the scenery. "And thank you for thinking of me."

Of course, she wouldn't be able to attend media appearances and whatnot with Mark because of the character he portrayed on television. The fans would be confused to see a woman with him at the signings and everything he had to do, even interviews. Tonight, they were in Chicago, Illinois and the city was crazy and alive. The traffic was also insane and Anciana rubbed Mark's shoulders when he began grumbling about it, soothing him.

"We'll be there soon, handsome."

The Undertaker, legitimately married and to Stone Cold Steve Austin's twin sister, no less… Paul was amused as hell and his eyes sparkled maliciously. That bald bastard's own twin was massaging the UNDERTAKER'S shoulders, soothing him, and now whispering in his ear. He could just imagine the kicks Taker was getting out of this.

Quite a few, actually. Mark reached back to pat her knee. "I fuckin' hate this city, darlin'. It's a cesspool." He also felt the same way about Tampa, L.A., and New York.

"Oh, come now, I'm sure there's something about this city you like." Anciana softly chastised, chuckling when he merely snorted and kissed her hand. "Fine, be a grump, you're not gonna ruin my time on the road with you."

She winked at Bill through the rearview mirror and sat back to stare out the window again, wondering what kind of itinerary Bill came up with for her. Something told her Mark would be busy and she wouldn't see much of him until they got to the arena. It was a good thing she brought some things with her to help pass the time.

Something good about Chicago… he could think of one thing off the top of his head, but he wasn't about to tell HER what it was. Given Chicago's high crime rate, it was insanely easy to beat someone down, leave them in a dumpster, and call it a day. Authorities here didn't even bat an eyelash anymore when it came to crimes like that.

"Shedd Aquarium." He answered quietly, staring out the window. "I like going there sometimes." For some reason, he found the place to be soothing, providing he was able to go in during quiet hours and not be bothered by a million people.

"That sounds…interesting."

Anciana was not a fan of zoos or aquariums, at least that's what she assumed because hearing those two places made her shudder. It was obvious she wasn't an animal lover. Dogs and cats were the only exceptions to that rule. Mark didn't have any animals, which didn't surprise her because he was constantly on the road. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head when he informed her one of their dates in Vegas had been to an aquarium.

"We…did? How did I…react to it?" She was almost afraid to ask the question, hating how there were so many blanks from the amnesia.

Given the tone of her voice and the way her face had scrunched when he had glanced in the mirror, Mark assumed there was an issue and really had to wonder. It was fish. Dolphins. Belugas. Seahorses, anything like that. What was there to be afraid of?

"You didn't care for the sharks." He figured sharks might be at the top of anyone's list that didn't care for sea creatures.

Surprising, given she was married to one. "Not far now." Paul informed them both, glancing at the clock. They were going to beat rush hour, barely.

"Sharks or any of the fish, I'm thinking." Anciana muttered more to herself than him, wrapping her arms around herself and vowed not to go to any kind of aquarium.

Not even with her husband, not happening. Unless the fish was dead and cooked, she wanted nothing to do with it. Perhaps that stemmed from her forgotten memories. It still confused her how certain things that popped up she didn't remember, but the FEELING and emotion was a different story. Once they arrived at the hotel, Anciana followed Mark and Bill into the hotel to check-in, heading up to their room.

"This is nice." She commented, smiling at the room and walked over to the window to stare out at the city.

It was very nice, and Mark shot Paul a curious look, one black brow cocking. If he were honest, he usually took something off the beaten path, fairly cheap, and usually within walking distance of a bar. Not that he would take his wife to a dive like that, not for the night anyway, maybe as an excursion. Hell, she had lived in Las Vegas, she had probably been to a hundred shitholes, her apartment notwithstanding.

"A jacuzzi?"

Paul spread his arms out in a wide shrug. "All they had left."

Shaking his head, Mark dropped their belongings on the bed. "I see. Thanks."

Paul was going to have a heart attack. The Undertaker had said 'thanks'. Hell had frozen over. "I'll leave you two to it."

He had to go pop a blood pressure pill or something, wondering if he was hallucinating. Paul planned on marking off the date and time on his calendar. The Undertaker had THANKED him. The end was indeed upon them.

Anciana didn't notice the look of sheer shock on Bill's face, too engrossed in checking out the suite they were in. It was somewhat luxurious, actually, and she wondered if Mark had done this because of her. The last thing she wanted was him changing things just because she was on the road. "Mark, can we talk?" She asked hesitantly, walking over to him while he went through his gear and sat on the bed in front of his bag, his eyes locking on her.

"Look, I appreciate what you're doing for me, but…I don't want you to change your routine just because I'm here. Something tells me you don't stay in rooms like this. I can tell by the look on your face, you were surprised Bill booked us this room. I just…want to let you know that, anywhere you want to stay, I'm okay with. It doesn't always have to be this fancy, though I do admit the jacuzzi is nice." Touching his hand, Anciana rose up on her knees enough to softly kiss him.

"To be honest, darlin," Mark pulled her flush against him, bending down to brush his lips against hers again. "I usually stay wherever has a bed big enough for me and call it that. Usually not much sense in going all out on a room you're in only for sleeping." Though, he had every intention of using that hot tub tonight.

"Well, we can continue to do that. As long as the bed is big enough for both of us and sex, I'm good with wherever you want to stay." Anciana caressed his chest through the thin material of the t-shirt he had on, draping her arms around his neck. "Thank you for bringing me with you. Hopefully, I can make the road a little less strenuous for you. Rub you down after your work and the sex is a huge plus too." It would stop temptation from rearing its ugly head. If a woman so much as TRIED to touch her husband, she would break their hand.

"Got sex on the mind, darlin'?"

Damn right she did, Mark smirked when she shrugged as if to say 'meh', rolling and pinning her down onto the mattress. He straddled her, his massive thighs on either side of her body and reached down to grab the hem of his shirt, pulling it off and tossing it behind his shoulder. Anciana's hands were instantly all over his chest and he let his own hands move to her top, taking in the red. He adored this woman in red. This man had an insatiable appetite and, truth be told, so did she. Anciana just didn't realize it…and the fact she was a virgin up until last night, not knowing that crucial information either.

"What can I say? I enjoy being fucked by my husband." She murmured, reaching down between them to unsnap his jeans and moaned as he captured her mouth, freeing his throbbing shaft from the confines. "Lean back a minute." She mumbled in command, surprised when he did and Anciana slid off the bed to remove her shorts and panties before positioning herself on all fours in front of him.

They had to be quick before Bill returned, which wouldn't be for another hour. That was more than enough time to get in a quickie along with a shower before the show. If his old friend was smart, he would call up first before coming to this room and Mark knew, without a shadow of a doubt, Paul had his own keycard to the room because he was that kind of bastard. An hour… more than enough time and, yet, not enough time at all. He smirked, running a finger up along her inner thigh, seeing her juices already glistening at him. Bending down, with a hand on either beautiful cheek, he ran the tip of his tongue up her already slick slit, smirking when Anciana let out a low moan.

"Delicious." He rumbled, bringing a palm down on her ass and then rubbing the now rosy area.

Anciana found she really enjoyed having her backside smacked in this position and gripped the bedding, moving up to the headboard once Mark actually slid inside of her. She lost count how many times 'oh god' came out of her mouth along with her husband's name, loving every second of it. The way he growled and dominated her, yet, showed her affection by kissing and caressing her body, showed Anciana how much he did love her. She could feel herself starting to fall for him, now understanding why she'd married him so quickly. Only when both finished did they move to the shower, another round proceeding, only this time it was face to face. By the time Bill came back, they were freshly dressed and Anciana was reading a book on the bed, leaning against the headboard while Mark went over some paperwork for his upcoming appearances. Nothing was out of place beside the bedding looking a tad ruffled.

The fact that the air reeked of two types of body washes and hair products did not hide it from Paul that those two were screwing like rabbits. He didn't want to envision it and mentally bleached himself. Standing behind Taker at the small desk, he eyed the paperwork.

"I could've done it."

"You've done enough, and your handwriting is like chicken scratch." Mark drawled, amusement lacing his tone. Given that Paul had gone above and beyond for the wife, so to speak, he could handle his own paperwork. For a man, Mark had very delicate, tidy penmanship, his cursive was something his mother had instilled in him. "I'm just filling out the paperwork and waivers for having Anciana on the road is all, old man."

Ah yes that, he thought, nodding in understanding. Included was a waiver dismissing the company from liability should the spouse wind up injured at an event.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

If Anciana knew what kind of paperwork her husband was filling out, on her behalf, she would've knocked his head off his shoulders. No liability meant, whatever happened to her, the company wasn't responsible for. Not unless she actually WORKED for the company, which currently, Anciana didn't. Her pager went off as Anciana unclipped it from her jean shorts and saw it was Cameria, smiling. She immediately reached over on the nightstand and picked the phone up to dial her number while Mark continued with his paperwork and Bill.

"Anciana, thank god I got a hold of you. Is it true you went on the road with…your husband?" Cameria still had a hard time calling Mark that since they weren't technically married. It was all a lie, a ruse, because of her stupid amnesia.

"Yeah, I did…why? What's wrong?" Anciana sat up on the bed, frowning.

This was a nightmare! How could Mark do this, KNOWING who ELSE was on the road and worked with him?! The worst part was she couldn't say a damn thing about it! It made her feel nauseous lying to her best friend like this, especially since wrestling was all Anciana wanted to do from day one.

"Please be careful. I don't know what the road is like, but…his job sounds hectic. Watch yourself, Anciana." It was the only warning she could really give.

That sounded ominous. "Cami, is there something you're not telling me? What are you hiding from me?"

Closing her eyes, Cameria could feel tears swell in them and chewed her bottom lip. "Just…be careful. That's all I can say. I have to go – work calls."

The phone went dead before she could say goodbye to her friend as Anciana stared at the phone, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Cameria knew something…and it bothered Anciana the woman hadn't been honest with her. Watch yourself…be careful…what did that mean? Was her husband's line of work really THAT dangerous?

Paul had noticed the change in demeanor before Taker, who was still filling out paperwork and tilted his head. "Anciana, is everything alright?" He spoke loud enough to catch Taker's attention.

"I-I'm not sure…" She hung up the phone slowly, feeling a chill in the room for some reason and tried to make sense of Cameria's phone call. "Is it dangerous going to the arena?"

Paul's eyes nearly shot out of his head at that question and looked down at Taker, who now had his eyes locked on his wife.

"Am I in danger being on the road with you, Mark?" Anciana had her eyes on her husband now and slowly slid out of bed, looking troubled. "Because if I am, maybe I should just stay at the hotels or go back home…"

Paul didn't even have to look at Taker to know that Cameria had just put herself back on the hit list and inwardly sighed. Poor woman, all she had to do was mind her own business and she couldn't.

"Well… it can be." Mark admitted, finishing dotting his John Hancock on the line before handing the paperwork to Paul, who began stuffing everything into a manila envelope. Standing up, Mark walked over to look down at his wife, frowning. "Ciana, darlin', this is wrestling and, regardless of what media likes to call us, we're a sport and accidents happen." What the hell did Cameria say?! He was going to strangle that bitch with his bare hands, providing she survived the accident she was now going to have. "Since you're not employed by the WWF, you can't be insured through their athlete's program and, if something happens where you get hurt, even tripping on a chair and hurting your ankle, they don't want to be held responsible. It's a pretty standard clause in this industry." From the expression on her face, he knew that hadn't been a satisfactory answer and sighed, bending down to brush his lips against her forehead. "It's a show, darlin' and sometimes things happen that shouldn't, so yes…. it can be dangerous. But I'm going to protect you, Anciana."

"I know you will. I don't doubt that." Anciana cracked a small smile up at him, though it was full of hesitance. "Cameria told me to be careful and watch myself. I'm just wondering why she would do that. She knows something. She's keeping something from me and I wish she'd tell me what it is."

Sighing, Anciana pulled away from him to walk over and stare out the window, trying to make sense of that phone call. The amount of trepidation and…was it fear she detected in Cameria's voice? Maybe staying at the hotels would be a better option, so she wasn't in the way of her husband doing his job.

"Do you have any idea what she might be hiding from me, Mark?"

Paul busied himself with the paperwork and knew better than to react to that question because it was loaded. Of course, he did – Taker knew everything regarding who Anciana actually was, her background and was using it in a mastermind fuck on his nemesis.

"Ciana, you know Cam and I don't always see eye to eye." He reminded her gently. "I don't know what she's hiding from you." Blatant lie, but he was a master at lying, obviously. "It could just be she's worried for you, just because of the accident and everything you've been through already." Mark walked up behind her, gently wrapping his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. "What do you want to do, darlin'?" He asked softly. "You want to stay at hotels or come with me?"

He could feel the tension in her body and knew it wasn't at him, but the doubts and concerns Cameria had, yet again, planted in her mind. He hated that woman. A very small part of her wanted to tell him she was staying at the hotels, but a bigger part, along with her curiosity, wanted to go to the arena.

"Maybe she's not. Maybe I'm just…overthinking things like I always do."

That was an understatement – look what happened with the whole sex issue between her and Mark. She'd finally bit the bullet, had sex with him and now they were getting along famously. The tension was gone out of their lives and she was…happy. Truly happy for the first time since her accident.

"She's probably just worried about me." Snuggling back against him, Anciana caressed his arms around her affectionately and felt a kiss plant on the side of her neck. "I want to go to the arena with you. You'll protect me, so I have nothing to be afraid of, no matter what happens."

Paul sincerely doubted that since the whole point of striking her down was to use her against her twin brother in the first place. Keeping her at the hotels wouldn't bode well for their plan, but luckily, she had made the right decision to go to the arenas with them.

Well, if he were honest, she had nothing to fear, so long as her memories remained locked up. And if he were doubly honest, Mark didn't want her to regain her memories because, as far as he was concerned, Anciana, the twin sister of Steve Austin, now belonged to him and he didn't like giving up his possessions. All the more reason to knock her up; he wanted her tied to him in every way, though… Mark had to shove all those thoughts back, not entirely sure where his train of thought was starting to go and simply held her.

Paul had not missed the series of weird looks that spread across the Phenom's face and sincerely hoped the man wasn't losing himself to his own game. Taker may have been the master of mind games, but when a game brought in matters of the heart, everything tended to go south.

The Allstate Arena was huge, so why the hell was it so crowded backstage? That was Anciana's first thought as she stepped through the door, a pass draped around her neck along with her hand in Mark's. He did not let go of her for a second, guiding her down the hallway and Anciana didn't miss the looks they received. Bill informed her this was the first time Mark brought someone from his family on the road, so it was a little out of character. She supposed they did look a little…out of the ordinary – an odd couple – and smiled at the thought, their fingers laced together tightly. Once they were in a dressing room, Mark informed her he had to go down to the ring and practice.

"Can I go with you? I'm curious to see what a ring looks like and wanna watch my husband get all hot and sweaty."

Paul inwardly groaned when Taker agreed to her request, wondering if the Phenom had truly lost his mind.

The Phenom had indeed lost his mind, but a glance at the time told him it would be all right. Austin had a tendency to run a little late. He always made the shows on time, but usually by the skin of his teeth. Just another reason, and a petty one at that, for Mark to despise the annoying bastard. He was not one for choreographing matches, not outside of his head at least, but going out to the ring and keeping on top of the basics was never a bad idea and something he did regularly. He wasn't the Phenom for nothing and, honestly, walking those ropes required balance and a lot of practice, especially for someone his size.

"Let me change first, darlin'." Mark wasn't going down there in skin fitting tight jeans because that was a recipe for disaster.

This was such a bad idea. Paul excused himself, he had other business to attend to on the Phenom's behalf.

Once Mark has changed into simple black jogging pants and a long-sleeved black shirt, they headed down to the ring. He'd pulled his hair back in a low bun at the nape of his neck to keep the hair out of his face while he practiced. The moment they stepped through the curtain and walked down the ramp, a surge of energy flowed through Anciana. Her eyes never left the ring before them, though it did look smaller in person than on television. A strong familiarity coursed through her as she touched the bottom rope, sliding her hand over it and felt her heart begin to pound a little faster. Adrenaline, it was a rush of adrenaline flowing through her and she had no idea why. Had she been near a ring before? Anciana snapped out of her reverie to look up at her husband and began watching him run the ropes expertly. Why was every single fiber of her being demanding her to get in the ring suddenly?

Mark could have very easily answered that for her. Anciana's great passion had been wrestling, not that she had gotten anywhere with it. She had trained, honed her body, and he had taken all that away from her. Now, if she asked, he'd simply tell her he had shown her a few things at a gym during their courtship days. As it was, he simply kept throwing himself off the ropes until he could feel his body heating up, sparing her a glance before climbing the turnbuckle. The very idea of him making 'walking the ropes' look easy was inane. Practice. Practice. Practice.

"Ciana, what're you doing?" He demanded when he spotted her climbing the stairs, mid-walk on the ropes. "Darlin'… if I fall…" That would hurt, and he would be very livid.

Expertly, she stepped through the ropes, not listening to her husband and stood in the center, looking up at the lights. She didn't make him fall, staying away from that side of the ring he was using. The smell of the ring…the way she stepped through the ropes as if she'd done it a thousand times…the way her body became exhilarated the moment she was inside…her eyes closed as a flashback pierced her mind and it was her, in the center of a ring like this, only a little grungier. She was doing some kind of arm drag, snapping the guy over to make him land on the mat. With her eyes closed, she could feel someone come up behind her and reacted instinctively, doing exactly what the flashback showed her. When she snapped her eyes open, Mark was flat on his back staring up at her upside down and she immediately released him, stumbling back. What the HELL? Without realizing what she'd done, she delivered a perfectly executed snap arm drag to her husband.

More than a few people had witnessed it happen, including a particular Rattlesnake that was on his way down to the ring.

Now THAT was embarrassing and… a turn-on, it was a very confusing mixture and Mark wasn't entirely sure what to think as he blinked his emerald green eyes up at her. That had been perfectly executed and he knew some things were just ingrained in the body, no matter what the mind may or may not remember. He began laughing because that was all there was to do, and her confused and apprehensive look faded into a slight smile. Reaching up, Mark pulled Anciana down flat on him and began kissing her, still rumbling with laughter.

"Glad to see you still remember some things, after all, darlin'." He whispered against her lips.

Steve was 99.9% sure that he knew this woman, his blue eyes pure ice as he approached the ring, walking around it to try getting a better look.

What was he talking about? Since when did she know how to do a wrestling move in a ring? That had to be a move, right? Anciana kissed him back and sat up, straddling Mark and pushed herself to stand. "We really shouldn't be doing anything like that here of all places, my husband." She playfully chastised, smiling at him…until the smile faded when a deep growly voice echoed behind them.

"HUSBAND?!"

Anciana turned around with Mark standing behind her and felt his hands on her shoulders, staring back at the man she knew as Stone Cold Steve Austin. He looked LIVID; his bald head was turning into a cherry and it looked like he was ready to lunge.

"My god…Ani…is that you?"

Another flashback, grainy and somewhat blurry, flittered through her mind of those children with the kite. She could hear one of the children, a boy, clearer this time and the nickname 'Ani' was used. "Ani…?" It felt foreign and familiar to her to be called that all at the same time.

"What the hell is wrong with you, girl? You don't recognize your own fuckin' brother?"

Now Anciana's eyes were wide as saucers and she felt Mark's hands tighten a little on her shoulders. "My…WHAT?!"

"Get your goddamn hands off of her." Husband… there was just no damn way that his twin was married to this psycho son of a bitch.

"Stop harassing my wife, Austin," Mark warned, his deep baritone dropping to something very cold and dark. Contrasting with his tone, his arms moved to hold Anciana firmly against him, feeling her entire body trembling and brushed the side of his face against hers soothingly. "Calm down, darlin'." He whispered in her ear, his venomous gaze fastened on Austin.

"My TWIN."

Now, here's where things got dicey, but he was as prepared as he could be. "If I remember right, Austin, you're the one who walked away from her."

Steve's eyes narrowed.

Twin? Steve Austin was…her twin? Her brother? Her family? Anciana immediately extracted herself away from Mark, trembling from head to toe and shoved him back none too gently when he tried making a grab for her again, her head swimming with a ton of questions. So many different emotions flowed through her all at once, but ultimately, anger won out. "You…KNEW this man was my brother and didn't tell me?! You WORK with him and didn't tell him about my accident?" What the fuck was going on? "You lied to me! You and Cameria both lied! You told me you didn't know anything about my family and you did this whole time! What the hell, Mark?!"

"Of course, he fuckin' didn't! This is the Undertaker, Ani, he doesn't…wait…you don't remember me?" Now Steve was confused, his eyes moving from his sister to his nemesis before going back to her. "What accident were you in? What happened to you? WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO HER?!"

"Hit her with a car." He answered remorsefully.

"How the… you…" Steve was in the ring now, his temper finally coming off the leash, which, admittedly, did not take much to do. He shoved Anciana aside and tackled Taker.

"HEY!"

He caught Steve by his neck and TOSSED him over the top rope, hoping he snapped the bald bastard's head right off. Anciana, in her anger and confusion, hadn't been expecting that and nailed her back against the turnbuckle. Mark crouched down, seeing where she was holding the small of her back, frowning.

"Darlin', you okay?" He asked, concern lacing his tone. "THIS is why I didn't tell you. Your brother is fucking crazy!"

Something in his neck had gone weird, but Steve gingerly twisted his head from side to side and it felt okay, so… he brushed it off. Twinges and weird pains were normal in this business. Growling, he pulled himself back up, eyes narrowing in on Taker's back.

His hands on the ropes were the ONLY thing that stopped him from crushing Anciana when he felt Steve's knee, and all Steve's weight, drive right into his spine. Letting out a long hiss of pain, his entire face contorted as that agony shot upwards. The tendons in his arms, underneath his shirt, were standing out, all strength focused on not harming his wife.

"Get. Out." He ordered through clenched teeth, pretty sure he was going to need an x-ray or something. "Darlin'…" Mark was in pain; that had not been a love tap and then to put HER above his own self by remaining in that position, taking all force instead of trying to move away from it. What was wrong with him?

Listening, Anciana dropped and rolled out of the ring, once again doing it with fluid motion while her husband did his best to breathe through the pain. She didn't even think twice about it and hightailed it away from the ring to the back, demanding help for her husband. The trainer flew out to the ring while Bill shuffled up to her, demanding to know what happened. Anciana couldn't take it anymore and began crying, covering her face with her hands shaking her head. Her brain was going a million miles a minute and she was on the verge of having a panic attack.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Steve Austin…Stone Cold Steve Austin was her TWIN brother?! And her husband knew about it the entire time and didn't bother telling her! Cameria had to know the truth too, there was no way she didn't know, and something told Anciana more lies were about to be unfolded. What else had those two lied to her about? And why did she know how to do a perfectly executed snap arm drag?

"I-I have to get out here…" She whispered painfully, clutching her head and pulled away from Bill when he tried consoling her. "I-I need to go back to the hotel, I'm not feeling well…" At all.

"Anciana, I need you here," Paul said patiently, taking her fluttering hands in his and holding tight when she tried pulling away. "You're here, which means you're the one the doctors will need if he has to go in. I have his medical records since you're on the road, you're the one who has authority to make decisions if he can't." When she began shaking her head, Paul frowned. "What happened out there?"

He knew Steve had gone out and he was guessing she knew Taker was a lying son of a bitch. By the way, she had yelled for a trainer, he also knew Taker was probably hurt. His eyes widened when he heard another medic coming, on the walkies. He heard mention of a back brace, his frown deepening.

"Anciana… what happened?"

What if Bill knew about this too? Anciana couldn't trust anyone right now and hated how worried she was about Mark. "Steve Austin…attacked him…after Mark threw him over the top rope to get him away from me. Or maybe I should call him my brother since that's who he is." A tinge of heartache and darkness laced her tone as Steve made his way through the curtain.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OUT THERE?!" Vince McMahon arrived on the scene, after being told one of his main stars was down for the count and went to investigate.

"I'll tell ya what happened – I hope I broke that sumbitch's back!" Steve growled, watching Vince's eyes widen and snorted, storming past him only to stop at the sight of his twin sister with… "You fuckin' fat bastard, get away from her!"

Anciana could see Bill's face turn stark white and frowned, stepping in front of him to stop Steve Austin from hurting him. "Don't! Don't hurt him, please. Y-You've done enough damage. You need to go cool down and…"

"No, I fuckin' haven't! Not nearly enough!" He grabbed Anciana's hand, groaning when she yanked away from him. "You're comin' with me and we're gonna have a long chat with people ya associate with, SIS."

Stronger than she looked, Anciana pulled away from him and the velocity sent her backward, landing on her backside with a thud. "No, I'm not! Stay away from me!"

"GODDAMN IT, I'M FINE!"

Mark had broken bones before, his back was sore, and he would probably need a chiropractor or something, but it wasn't broken. Hurt like hell though. He stumbled backstage, shirt off, hair escaping the bun, and his glazed eyes landed on his wife and the idiot trying to drag her off. Steve was trying to grab her ankle and Anciana was on the floor, trying to get away from him. Growling, he made his way over to lift her up under the arms, moving her backward.

"Stop fuckin' with her, Austin! This is why you two didn't talk for years, you're a fuckin' crazy bastard!"

"I'M CRAZY?" He was joking.

Anciana didn't know what to think or how to feel, but she couldn't deny Mark arrived at the right time to stop Steve from dragging her off. There wasn't a doubt in her mind he would've taken her somewhere far away from Mark with the look in his eyes. Blinking, tears slid down her cheeks as Mark continued blocking her from both view and harm. She hadn't forgotten he lied to her for the past 6 months and they would settle those issues later, but right now, she was terrified of Steve Austin…her supposed twin brother. If they stood side by side, even a blind person would be able to tell they were twins. Same eye and hair color – though Steve was smoothly bald.

"Steve, take a walk NOW." Vince McMahon ordered, walking up to the crowd of people that had formed just outside of gorilla position.

"That's MY SISTER! He's corrupted her!"

"I don't care – TAKE. A. WALK. Taker, my office now. Bring the woman." It was an order. "EVERYONE TAKE A DAMN WALK AND GET BACK TO WORK!" He was fed up with the fighting backstage and watched everyone trudge off, the crowd breaking up.

"This isn't over." Steve growled, flipping Vince the middle finger when he opened his mouth to start yelling again and stalked down the hallway to take a breather. He could NOT believe his twin sister was in the clutches of the Undertaker!

"She has a name, old man." Mark growled darkly, not overly amused anymore, mostly because his spine was killing him.

He had sheltered her from being crushed by his massive ass and now was suffering from it. Apparently, no good deed went unpunished. When Vince gave him a look, he felt his blood simmer but checked himself. This man did sign his paychecks after all and gave him a lot of leeways, best not to push that just yet. Gingerly, he followed the boss, reaching down to thread his fingers through Anciana's. He knew he'd catch hell from her later tonight when they were able to actually stop and talk.

"Here." Paul came waddling up, frowning at how much more pale than usual 'Taker's face was and held out a bottle of water with one hand, the other containing a pain pill. He watched as 'Taker downed them both without thinking twice about it. "At your convenience, I've called ahead to let the hospital know you'll be coming in."

He nodded, leaving Paul behind as he and Anciana slipped into Vince's office, trying to ignore the throbbing mess that was his back.

Anciana pulled her hand out of his, not wanting to be touched at the moment and tried not to feel guilty for the pain flashing across Mark's face. He had A LOT of explaining to do once they were back at the hotel. Right now, he had business to do and…why was she in here? Anciana sat down in one of the vacant chairs, keeping her head lowered and clenched her fists tightly in her lap, trying to make sense of everything that happened. Trying to find and will the missing pieces of her memory to slide back into place and the amnesia to break. She needed her memories back now, more than ever.

"Well, you two have made QUITE the mess tonight, haven't you?" Vince could tell Taker was in pain, but the show had to go on regardless. "Can you perform tonight or not?" He asked bluntly, ignoring Taker's wife for the moment and folded his arms in front of his chest.

"I don't know Vince, you dragged my ass in here before I could get it checked out by someone besides your crew." He drawled, snorting when Vince made a face. "I'll wrap it up and the show will go on, always does, doesn't it?" He sneered that last bit. People couldn't afford NOT to work, not if they didn't want to potentially lose out on a line.

"Now, explain to me what you were doing, with your wife, out in my ring?"

"Getting my ass handed to me." She had a mean armbar.

"It was my fault, sir. I…never should've gotten inside the ring in the first place." Anciana owned up to her mistakes and didn't dare look up at Mark's boss, swallowing hard.

"Why did you get in the ring, to begin with, though?"

"I-I don't know…I know it sounds strange, but I got an overwhelming urge to be inside of it." That sounded ridiculous even to her own ears.

"Have you ever been inside a ring before tonight?" Vince had noticed that snap arm drag she'd performed on Taker and was impressed at how beautifully executed it was.

Now she looked up at him, tears pooling in her eyes. "I-I don't know. I…lost my memories and I have amnesia, so I have no recollection of my past life besides the past 6 months. That was the first time I've stepped foot into a ring…to my knowledge anyway."

Vince's usually hardened face softened considerably, his heart going out to the poor woman that looked so broken and fragile before him. Yet, he felt she had a fire about her, a spirit. Judging from her performance in the ring, even if it was only one move, Anciana knew her way around one.

"Perhaps you trained to become a wrestler in the past? Didn't I overhear Steve Austin say you were his sister?"

"I'm apparently his twin sister, yes."

Now that Vince got a really good look at her, there was no denying that fact. "Wow, you really DO look like Steve…"

Cold, icy blues turned to look at Mark as he merely sat there, not a hint of remorse on his face for keeping this secret from her. "Why don't you tell him about my past life and my memories since you have all the fucking answers, Mark?" Anciana could not keep the anger out of her tone and stood up from the chair, yanking her hand out of his when he went to grab it. "DON'T. TOUCH. ME."

Vince could tell there was A LOT of tension between them and cleared his throat, gaining both of their attention again. "Anciana, that's your name, right?" At her nod, he continued. "You can say no to this if you want, but since you ARE the twin sister of Stone Cold Steve Austin and the wife of the Undertaker…how would you feel being involved in this storyline of theirs that will kick off tonight?"

Anciana's jaw dropped to the floor.

"No." His jaw was working just fine and Mark ignored the look Anciana was now giving him, staring daggers at Vince. "I'm sorry, but since when do you just pull people into your company?"

Vince was all of a sudden acting like rainbows and unicorns flew out of Anciana's backside. Mark hadn't missed the softening in the older man's face and this jackass made his wrestlers work hurt. What the hell was going on?

"She has amnesia, McMahon. And her training was still on-going when she HAD her memories. You're not sticking her in shit tonight."

"So, it's true then? I WAS training to become a wrestler before you struck me down!" Anciana did not miss the flash of both anger and sadness in his eyes, feeling her own anger rising. What ELSE had this son of a bitch kept from her?! "And since when do you speak for me? You're my husband, not my fucking dictator and master. I can make up my own mind, even if I can't remember my past memories."

"So, I take that as a yes? It won't be tonight. We'll need a few weeks to write up the storyline with you involved and have a couple creative meetings to make sure it will work."

Ignoring Mark's warning look, Anciana nodded with a serene smile on her face, a sense of fierceness and rebellion flowing through her. "Sounds good to me." No wonder she had known her way around a ring and was able to execute that move on Mark!

"I will draw up the contract for you. It'll be temporary, but if this goes well, I might just extend it to something more permanent. Maybe you could resume doing your training as well in the ring?"

"One step at a time and I'll think about it."

Mark would not tell her what to do with her life, even if they were married. This was her decision to make and she wanted more than anything to get back in the ring again. How weird was it she couldn't remember ever being in a ring, but the passion and fire for it hadn't left her? No doubt about it, she was Austin's twin and Mark felt an overwhelming urge to throttle the bitch, his hands actually twitching as he considered it. He'd save that for Vince; Vince needed it more.

"It's cute, old man, how there are women in this company who haven't gotten even half the chance you're offering her." He snorted, folding his arms over his chest. "All because of her connections." Given what he knew of Austin and this temper from her emerging, Mark figured she would give him hell later on, so… dig a little deeper. "I'll cut a promo if you want tonight, but I'm not wrestling." Vince could go copulate with himself.

"Should've kept her off the road then and under your thumb, Mark." Vince shot back, not appreciating the tone of voice his employee used with him and smirked, already seeing dollar signs flashing where they currently stood and sat.

"If you wouldn't have run me down in the first place, none of this would be happening and I could've gotten here ON MY OWN." Anciana surged with anger, trembling and headed for the door, knowing this meeting was over. "I hope he hurt you badly, you son of a bitch!" She hissed, letting her temper overrun her mouth and stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

How DARE he say she had gained this opportunity because of her connections! Anciana suddenly took off down the hallway and didn't stop until she was outside, dropping to her knees as tears streamed down her cheeks. Just a few hours ago, they were making love and laughing with each other and now…now she'd discovered he had lied to her about her family, about what she used to do prior to the accident…and Anciana never felt more betrayed in her life. How were they supposed to move on from this? Looking down at the ring on her left hand, Anciana cried, covering her face with her hands and wondered just what kind of man she agreed to marry.

All things considered, he should have probably hit her harder, Mark mused, after being 'dismissed' by Vince. He got that she was overwhelmed and feeling betrayed, but… logically, she had amnesia, and she and Steve hadn't spoken in years. The man had shown he was a loose cannon, attacking without regard to her being in the line of fire, but HE was the bad guy because he had hidden that from her. Obviously, Anciana was a drama queen, something he hadn't known because… he hadn't known the true Anciana. Small favors he was grateful for.

"She's having a breakdown outside."

"Really?"

"Yes. Hands and knees, crying, that kind of breakdown."

"I see my wife has been watching the Lifetime channel again." He rolled his eyes. "I'll go see to her."

"Don't run her over again."

Tempting.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Cameria…she had to talk to Cameria and find out the truth once and for all. What else were they hiding from her? Breaking down now wasn't the time or place. Later, she could when she was alone, already planning on getting her own room. Space from Mark is what she needed to sort through her thoughts and figure out what to do from here, where to go. She also had to talk to Steve Austin because he would no doubt fill in some of the blanks of her past since they were twins. When she heard footsteps behind her, Anciana immediately rose to her feet and wrapped her arms around herself, refusing to look at the man she had to refer as her husband.

"I won't be staying with you tonight." After she'd woken from being in a coma, Cameria gave her the information to her bank account from Vegas and, luckily, it was a nationwide bank. Mark didn't know about it and she'd kept it that way for a reason. "I need space from you right now. You and your _connections_." She snorted, a hint of malice in her voice and immediately stepped away when he came forward. "Don't touch me. Just leave me the hell alone right now." She did not trust him, not after what she'd discovered.

"Why?" He asked curiously, tipping his head to the side as he regarded her. "Because I hid stuff from you? Darlin', the last time you had a flash, a memory, it fucking dropped you to your knees. Not to mention, you and your brother haven't spoken in years, Ciana, years. He's a hothead with no respect for you." Obviously, she could have wound up back in the hospital tonight and now Mark kind of wished had let that happen. It would've saved him some trouble. "You act like I'm keeping the world from you when nothing could be further from the truth. I knew exactly where I was bringing you, think about that. A place that would help, hopefully, jog your memory. I just wasn't expecting Steve to be… Steve."

"No! Don't you dare do that! Don't you try to spin this to be my fault when it's not!" Anciana snapped, narrowing her eyes at him and, at that moment, she looked the spitting image of Steve. It was Steve with boobs, basically, and a tad more feminine. "I asked you if you knew anything about my family, while I was in the hospital, and you said you didn't! You've worked with my brother for YEARS, yet we met in Vegas and got married on a whim? In a whirlwind romance? That makes NO sense! You're lying to me, you and Cameria both have! I don't care what the circumstances were, you shouldn't have lied to me. You should've told me who my brother was, who my family was, and what I used to do for a living prior to the accident! It makes me wonder what else you've been hiding from me, Mark. Same with Cameria. I thought I could trust you both and now I can't because I don't know what else you're keeping from me. I'm going to find out though – I'm going to do everything I can to get my memories back. And when I do, everything will make better sense." Talking to Steve was still on the agenda too.

"I don't know jack shit about your family, outside of Steve and I didn't even know he was your brother, until after we got married." He informed her and, based on the timeline he had constructed, everyone had for her, that was fairly true actually. That was, technically, the time he had found out Austin had a twin sister. So, yes, true enough. "You said then you two didn't talk, hadn't since you were teenagers. And knowing what I do of the jackass, I figured he wasn't a memory you needed back straightaway, Anciana." Steve, the bald idiot, had kind of proved him right on that. "Darlin'… you think if I thought I could hide things from you, I'd bring you back to a world I knew you had been trying to get into?" Mark asked quietly, trying to reason with her. "The doctors said you may not get everything back, or you might react to stimuli. But it needed time, and we've been 'getting to know each other' all over again these last months. You were ready to leave me." He groaned, running his hands through his now loose hair, trying to avoid wincing when a painful spasm ran up his back. "Anciana, you were so busy struggling with me… and I was so afraid of losing you again…"

"But why did I leave my family? Why haven't I talked to my brother, my twin, in years? Did I ever tell you the reason?"

Anciana was not surprised to see him shake his head, feeling the frustration building inside of her. She had to swallow it down; Steve would fill in the blanks of their childhood and whatnot, when they did talk. It wouldn't be tonight, she would give him time to cool off and then go to him, without Mark, knowing the talk would be a lot smoother without him around.

"You've worked with my brother for years, and yet you told me we met in Vegas just a month before my accident and got married. I really need to the truth about this, Mark." Her slightly swollen crystalline eyes locked on acidic green. "Did you know about me being Steve's twin before we met? I-Is that why you tracked me down…because of him?"

Frowning, Mark bent down until they were face to face, ignoring his back as he gently cupped her face in his hands. He used his thumbs to brush at the tears that kept falling. "Anciana, I didn't know you were Steve's sister." He declared softly. "Not until you told me, and I think the only reason you told me was because of my job." Wrestling, sort of famous…that made sense. "Darlin', I'm sorry I withheld stuff from you, but please… try to see it from my point of view. You were struggling to try to remember things about us and your brother was the last thing on my mind during that time. I was more focused on not losing you, Ciana." Another tear fell, he brushed that one away too. "And I don't like him, he's an asshole."

"Yeah, I gathered that much from earlier." Anciana mumbled, not knowing what to believe or what to think about all of this. The tears he shed broke her heart and Anciana found herself comforting him, burying her face in his chest. "I'm still mad at you for keeping the truth from me, but…I understand why you did it. I suppose you wanted me to regain my memories on my own instead of…being told them." Heaving a sigh, she felt Mark's arms wrap around her and felt him grimace, knowing he was in pain. "No more lies, please. If you have any other information you've been holding out on me, now is the time to tell me, Mark." She pulled back enough to look into his eyes, so much confusion and sorrow flowing through hers. "And you won't lose me as long as you're honest."

"Darlin'… try not to take this personal, but after your temper explosion… I'm not overly keen on saying anything at all." He informed her, catching a strand of her blonde hair and pushing it off her tear-soaked face, sighing. "We will talk, but not here. After work, all right?" Mark was only murdering one Austin tonight and it wouldn't be his wife. "Just… have faith in me, Ciana. I'm not doing anything to be malicious darlin', I'm trying to take care of you." He whispered, pressing his forehead to hers.

"I never should've come on the road with you. I should've stayed home and none of this would've happened." Anciana murmured, not moving from him and applied her own pressure to his forehead, trying not to start crying again. "The shock…made me snap. I'm…sorry."

How else was she supposed to react to Steve Austin being her TWIN brother? Not just a regular brother, but her twin? That meant they were the same age and had the same birthday. Did they share the same interests? Wrestling definitely…

"I'll just…stay at the hotels from now on. I'll tell Vince I don't want to be part of the storyline. Maybe I'll even go back home and let you work in peace…"

"Let's just… sort all that out later, darlin'." Out in a parking lot was not the place to have this talk. "And Vince will hound you, I can tell you that much. He's a vicious son of a bitch." Vince was also competing against WCW and defecting wrestlers going that way, so he was out to make ratings however he could. The wife of the Undertaker, the twin sister of Steve Austin… he could work with that. "Be careful with whatever he offers you, Anciana."

"He can hound me all he wants, I won't do something I don't feel comfortable doing. You should know that by now." Anciana remarked, silently agreeing with him that now wasn't the time or place to have this conversation. "Your back needs to be examined. Does the WWF have their own physician, or do you need to go to the hospital?" Another thing Anciana didn't forget how to do was drive.

"We have a traveling medical team, but… it's not like…" Hmm, now that he thought about it, he realized they really needed better in that repute. Vince was eventually going to have to pony up for a proper team. "We have a trainer, some EMTs… anything past a certain point is a doctor."

Mark had never thought about it before, he usually needed stitches. He had a few broken bones and other injuries, been sent to the local emergency room and it was called a night. Having extra staff that needed to travel with the show, on top of being paid, the insurance issues… he seen the catch .22 there.

"I'll go after the show if it doesn't feel better by then, darlin'." Sighing, he straightened up to his full height, letting the calm facade slip into place because he was very aware of how intently she was studying his face. "I'll be fine, Ciana."

"Okay."

Anciana would have to trust what he said, although she was having a hard time doing so right now. It would take time for the trust to build between them again. They walked back inside the arena and went straight to his locker room, where Bill was waiting. Not saying a word to him, Anciana merely sat down in the far corner and leaned her head against the wall, shutting her eyes. Her mind replayed what happened out in the ring and how Mark had blocked her from harm, taking the brunt of the force from Steve's knee to the back.

Paul did not like the tension in the room or the silence, it unnerved him, and he figured Taker would've been able to smooth talk his way out of the doghouse.

Not likely.

As far as he was concerned, this was a win in his book. Anciana was an Austin, well, a Williams, and she definitely had her twin's temper. The fact she was no longer screaming bloody hell at him, or trying to knock his block off… definitely a win.

"Paul, I'll need wrapped." Mark studied his back in the adjacent bathroom, a tiny grubby little thing, using the sink mirror as best he could. He was bruised in that area, noting the swelling. Not feeling it like he probably should've thanks to Paul's medication.

He held up two rolls of sports wrap. "I figured as much. Want me to have a look?" When Mark hesitated, Paul rolled his eyes. "Doctor."

Mark grunted, stepping out into the room and lay out on a bench face down, staring at his wife while Paul started poking and prodding his back. "Old man…"

"Hurt?" He poked again.

No matter how many things he'd kept from her, Anciana didn't like seeing Mark in any kind of physical pain, especially when it should've been her that was hurt instead. She frowned at the grimace on his face and pushed away from the wall to rise to her feet, walking over to sit on her knees in front of him. Anciana had glimpsed his back, not liking how swollen and bruised it already was, hoping Bill would be able to alleviate some of the pain for him. She couldn't do anything at the moment for him.

"I know I apologized for what happened, but…I never properly thanked you for protecting me. So, thank you, handsome." Hesitantly, she went to kiss his cheek only for Mark to turn his head at the last second and caught her mouth with his, softly kissing her. There would be no sex tonight, not in his condition, but the kiss made her toes curl nonetheless.

"You're my wife, Ciana." He rumbled against her lips, feeling her hands slide into his. "I promised to protect you, darlin'."

Mark had done so right before they had come in actually, when she had asked if she would be in danger at the arena, and sure enough… she had been in danger within minutes basically. Vince was probably thrilled he had signed those liability forms before bringing her in tonight. He hissed, feeling Paul manipulating his back, feeling something kind of sliding in place and squeezed her hands a bit harder than he meant to, quickly letting go as he banged his forehead against the bench.

"FUCK!"

"Fixed it."

"I hate you." He growled, voice muffled. "Not you Anciana, I love you. Paul… I hate you."

"I'll get you some Kleenex."

That POP from his back echoed throughout the room and made her somewhat nauseous. However, she smiled, despite his pain, at his quick admission and her heart swelled at his words. "Be nice, he helped you…" Anciana quietly admonished, caressing the back of his head and shoulders, staying away from his back since it was incredibly sore. He lifted his head to look at her again and Anciana rested her forehead against his, rubbing his tattooed sleeved arm to try to soothe him the best way she knew how. "Are you…okay?"

"He'll live."

Anciana bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

"Don't let Vince put you in a match tonight, Taker." Paul ordered seriously, walking around and watched the Phenom gingerly move to a sitting position. "You'll wind up damaged if you take any more hits like that. Take the night off."

"I'm fine." Mark felt… better, actually, though he stretched very gingerly, testing it out. Slight twinge, nothing like earlier, he nodded in satisfaction and pushed himself upright onto his feet. "Laugh it up, Mrs. Calaway." He growled playfully, seeing she was trying not to laugh.

"I'm not laughing at your pain, just your bantering with Bill."

They could be a comedy team and make a killing. Anciana had also gotten back to her feet, surveying his back while he continued working the kinks out and agreed with Bill. She hoped he listened to Bill about not wrestling and just doing the segment Vince had in mind tonight, not wanting him hurt further. The concerned expression on his face was somewhat alarming to Anciana and she wanted to tell him not to go in the ring tonight, but didn't. He was a man and had done this a long time. He could make his own decisions regarding his career and Anciana had no right sticking her nose in it.

"Be careful." That was all she could say.

Vince wasn't surprised at all when he was informed via one of the officials that 'Taker wasn't in any shape to wrestle. That was fine. The Deadman had ring time anyway, he could cut a promo. He had run some ideas by his lead writer, come up with some notes and sent those along. One thing about Taker was his ability to cut a promo; the man could weave a story and capture an audience like no other.

Mark wasn't surprised by the yellow legal pad he was handed, those stupid notebooks of yellow paper… Vince probably bought them in bulk. He took it, shut the door in the official's face and began flicking through the notes, one black brow rising.

Anciana saw the perplexity on his face while he read through the notes, wondering what Vince had in mind for him tonight to kick his feud off with Steve. Steve…she frowned thoughtfully at the thought of her twin fighting against her husband. She really had to talk to him, especially if they hadn't seen each other or spoke since she was a teenager.

"I'm gonna go grab something to eat from catering." Bill had told her about it. "Do you want me to bring you something, handsome?" On her way, she would make a pitstop to Steve's dressing room and try to talk to him.

Paul and Taker exchanged quick looks, the Phenom shaking his head. She was sneaky, both men had read her, and he knew, if Taker interceded right now, it would only lead to more issues. "He needs water. He needs to stay hydrated."

"You are not pushing fluids on me…"

"I've told you time and time again, you need to drink more water, period. God's own miracle cure."

Headache, fatigue, maintaining an overall healthy life… water. Which was kind of ironic given his size and own eating habits. Then again, Paul wasn't an athlete of sorts. Rolling his emerald eyes, Mark moved to wrap his arms gently around her, bending down to brush his lips against hers.

"Be careful out there, darlin'." He advised quietly, sliding a finger down her cheek. "You want me to walk you there?" Mark already knew the answer and wasn't surprised when she shook her head.

"No, I can handle it, don't worry. I'm just going to catering and coming back." Anciana hugged him around the neck, being careful not to hurt him or have him strain to reach her before pulling back. "Water it is. I'll be back soon."

Kissing him one last time, she walked out of the dressing room and headed toward catering, having spotted it on her way to the ring earlier. However, she had a quick stop to make and tracked down the nearest technician, asking where Steve Austin's dressing room is. The technician directed her where to go and, before she knew it, Anciana stood outside of her twin brother's dressing room, knocking.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Unlike some broken bitches, Steve definitely had a show to go put on, so he had been gearing up. Which was pretty easy, black trunks, boots and that was about it. He opened the door, half-expecting to be greeted to a massive fist aimed at his forehead, his blue eyes narrowing and then widening when he realized just who was standing there.

"How the hell did you manage to get away from him?" He demanded, pulling Anciana inside the room and shut the door behind them, flipping the lock. Steve turned, taking her in and inhaled deeply. They hadn't seen each other since they were kids, his twin… and she was married to the Undertaker, of all people.

"Jesus…" He whispered harshly, reaching out to awkwardly touch her shoulder. "Ani…"

"I told him I was going to catering, which I am, after I leave here." Anciana noticed he'd locked the door and felt a little uncomfortable, stepping back as soon as he touched her shoulder. "I don't know you. Please don't touch me. I just came here to ask you something…and then I'll get out of your hair." Her voice somewhat shook, the nerves overtaking her, but Anciana had to stay strong. This man held a lot of answers to her questions, especially if he was her brother. Her first question revolved around that. "Are you truly my brother…my twin brother? And if so, why did I leave home? Why haven't I talked to you since I was a teenager?"

"Honey, you… you don't remember me, at all?" Steve asked, his rough, gritty voice gentle. "How can you forget me, Ani? We're twins!"

Granted, they hadn't seen each other in quite some time, but they were twins! He'd have known her anywhere. Steve searched her eyes, eyes that were identical to his and seen nothing familiar in them at all. Not even the rage, the sheer burning rage, and resentment, the sorrow, he had been there the day she had left home. Hell, he'd take that right now, anything except this… confusion, lack of recognition.

"You really lost all yer memories?"

Nodding, Anciana didn't know how or why, but she felt in her heart this really was her brother…her twin. She felt a connection to him the moment she watched one of his matches against Mark on the videotapes. For some reason, his name had pierced through her and now she knew why.

"Yes…well…mostly, yes. I…had a flashback a little while ago with two kids playing and chasing a kite…" The nostalgic smile curved his lips and Anciana instantly knew why. "That was us, wasn't it? When we were little…chasing a kite?" Coming here had been the right decision. Reaching out, she took his hand and immediately felt a familiarity about the touch, blinking as tears slid down her cheeks. "What happened between us? Why haven't we spoken in so long? What did I do?"

"Yeah, we were little… Mom was tryin' to show us how to do it and the wind caught my kite. We took off after it."

Steve remembered 'what she had done' like it was yesterday. They had been fighting, with their father. She had decided she wanted to wrestle and none of them had been for it. Anciana was a girl, for one, and everyone knew women didn't make it in wrestling, not really. Not as anything major, they were arm candy. There had been a big blow out and she had been devastated when Steve hadn't sided with her, but instead stood firm with their Dad. Groaning, Steve ran a hand over his bald head, staring down at her.

"I'll tell you, but then you gotta tell me somethin', Anci." He decided to compromise, having a few questions of his own. "You got to tell me how the fuck you wound up married to Taker. Deal?"

"I…I don't remember, honestly." Steve didn't look very convinced of that answer and Anciana heaved a sigh. "From what I was told, Mark and I met in Vegas a month before my accident. We had a whirlwind romance, went to a local chapel and got married. Cameria, my friend in Vegas and my ex-roommate, vouched for him. A month later, he…struck me down with his car accidentally. It was raining hard outside apparently, again I don't remember any of this, I'm just telling you what I was told from Mark, Cameria and Doctor Horris. Mark was on his way to stop me from walking to work, wanting to surprise me since I hadn't seen him much because of his job. The streets were slick from all the rain and…I crossed the street, he hit me and…he took care of me, Steve. He paid for all of my hospital treatment and bills, he only left my side for a day or two out of the week and was always right back to the hospital. And then when I was released, needing more medical care, he brought me to our home in Houston, where we currently live. And now apparently I have a twin brother he's worked with for years and I was training to become a professional wrestler before the accident." That about summed it all up.

It took Steve awhile to process all that and when it finally did, it all sounded like a load of malarkey. "He hit you, with a car…" He echoed, shaking his head, his bald scalp taking on the red tinge that indicated he was angry. "That's horseshit, Anci… he fuckin' knew who you were and probably did it on purpose. I don't buy for a second that you two are married. You got paperwork? You got weddin' pictures? Anything?" Who the hell was Cameria? His twin had been living in Vegas all this time?

"Yes, there's paperwork with a marriage license and everything. And yes, we have pictures from our wedding."

Paul had been busy ever since Taker decided to go through with this plan.

"Whether you like it or not, I'm married to him and…that's not going to change. He only lied to me about knowing you because of our fallout. He wanted me to regain my memories first and then deal with you my own way." Anciana sank down in the nearby chair and clasped her hands in her lap, hating how upset she was making this man. "Now it's your turn. Why did we have a falling out and why haven't we spoken in years?" The entire time, her voice remained soft and low, not losing her temper the way Steve was on the verge of doing.

"Because you thought you were gonna be a wrestler." Steve said finally, sighing and then half-smiled.

Hell, she had no memories of that and he wasn't overly keen to be dragging it up. That fight had led to them not talking for over a decade and he had seen that arm bar she had delivered on Taker. Steve wasn't keen on eating his words either, though from the sounds of it, she hadn't ever made it through the door. Women in this industry weren't considered anything but eye candy; the matches they did have were few and far between, only a small handful of women had actually made names for themselves. Alundra Blayze came to mind and, even then, with all her talent, she was now in WCW, under the name Madusa, and had been blackballed by Vince, due to her dropping the WWF Women's championship in a trashcan on WCW programming.

"And we all said no."

As ridiculous as it sounded, Anciana believed him and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, knowing it had to be a pretty big fight for them not to speak after all this time. "I'm going to assume 'we' means our mother and father? Other siblings too?" At his nod, she lowered her head and sighed heavily. "Vince McMahon wants me to be part of this storyline with you and Mark. I'm not going to do it though, no matter how much he hounds me."

Mark's words had come back to her. A quick glance at the clock told Anciana it was time to leave. They had talked far too long for her to simply be down in catering.

"I should get back to Mark…"

"All Vince wants to do is use you." Steve informed her flatly, he himself had only just started forging a proper name for himself and hadn't been a part of the WWF all that long, only a year.

He had to shed the stupid gimmick Vince had given him when he had signed on. The Ringmaster… that had been dumb. Now he was acting on-camera as… himself, mostly, with the volume notched all the way up and it was starting to pay off.

"Stone Cold Steve Austin's twin sister… and the… Undertaker's wife…" He could NOT keep the disgusted expression off his face, that had left such a horrible taste in his mouth. "You need to divorce him, Anci. That man is evil."

"Considering the reason behind us not speaking for over a decade, you might want to tread carefully with what you say. I'm not divorcing my husband just because you two don't like each other. You'll deal with it." There was the stubborn Williams streak she had unleashed upon Mark earlier and now it was showing to her twin. "I don't even know you, Steve. I want to get to know you, but…you have to respect my wishes when it comes to who I'm with. Mark is not evil either and has given me no indication I'm in danger. He's treated me like a queen, actually. Why would I leave someone like that? Now I really need to go." She headed for the door to unlock it, knowing Mark would be worried about her enough as it was wandering around the arena by herself.

"Anciana," Steve sounded exasperated, moving to stop her from unlocking the door. "Honey, listen to me, you don't know him. I don't care what he tells you, or how he treats you, the man isn't right in the head." Why couldn't she see that? Mark Calaway was a sadistic, ruthless bastard with an evil streak that would've earned him a place as king of hell. "Just… be careful, okay?" He could see the anger building in her eyes and knew he was pushing it, inwardly groaning. Anciana was finally back in his life, after all this time, but with hefty baggage. "You remember anythin' else? I could… we could talk, and I could tell you about yer life."

The anger in her eyes softened a bit and she touched Steve's face, cracking a smile. "I'd like that, but not tonight. You have a show to put on. Why don't we meet for coffee or something tomorrow morning?" They were staying here since the house show was only down the street in another building than Raw Is War. "Call me when you're ready." Pulling out a pen from her pocket, she turned his hand over to jot her number down and then kissed his cheek.

Once she was gone, all Steve could do was stare down at the paper, gathering it was a pager number and sighed. His twin sister was married to the Undertaker. She had been in a potentially fatal accident that had left her without her memories, even of him, her twin. Apparently, they weren't 'those' kind of twins because he hadn't felt a thing wrong or… anything.

"Fuck…" He groaned, dropping down onto the old wooden bench, unsure of what to say or do now.

When Anciana finally returned with the water, Mark was dressed for the promo he would be cutting in the ring, staring at his wife intently. He wasn't a fool, he had known the minute she announced she was going to catering where she would also go. Not about to press the issue, just yet, Mark refused to do it after everything that had happened tonight. But if Steve had screwed things up for him, the bald bastard would be next to be run over.

"Here's your water. Sorry it took so long."

Anciana smiled apologetically, accepting a kiss from him and sat down on the nearby bench to sip her own water. She noticed the outfit he had on and raised a brow – black sweatpants that wrapped around the ankles and a long sleeved black sweatshirt. What the hell? He kind of looked hot…in a comfortable way. That wasn't his normal in-ring attire though. What exactly was Vince making him do tonight? It wasn't her business, so she didn't bother questioning him about it and looked up when he stood in front of her, lowering to be eyelevel with her.

Vince wanted him to break the whole kayfabe thing, so to speak. Go out there and discuss his actual life as Mark instead of the Undertaker. But the information Vince wanted him to spew wasn't necessarily Mark's life, not all of it. It was… weird, and he wasn't entirely sure how all of this would play out, breaking his own character.

"Do you feel any better, darlin'?" He asked softly, knowing Anciana had gone off to speak with her twin. Given that she hadn't come in here screaming hell at him told him she wasn't gearing up to leave him yet. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Steve hadn't tried to urge her to do so.

"I'm getting there."

Anciana leaned into his touch as soon his hand came in contact with her face, sighing in contentment and rested her hand over his to lace their fingers together. She wasn't leaving him, not unless he gave her a legitimate reason to. Mark had never treated her badly and, until that day came, she would remain by his side, regardless of what Steve said or wanted. Even though she didn't love him yet, the feelings for him were stirring and growing stronger with each passing day.

"I can't lie to you, Mark. I went to see Steve before going to catering…and I know you think he's dangerous and I shouldn't waste my time on him, but…he's my brother. I don't know how I know it, but I do. I'm…meeting with him tomorrow morning for coffee to talk about the old days, to see if he can't jog my memories. You're not mad at me, are you?"

He shook his head, smiling down at her. "Darlin', I knew the moment you said you were going to catering where you'd go." Mark informed her, understanding lacing his tone. "It's only natural, I suppose, wanting to see him, talk to him." He sighed, reaching out to touch her head. "Just… don't overload yourself. That one memory," When she had been making popcorn. "Knocked your ass for a loop. I don't know what a rush would do to you, Anciana." Not to mention, if she regained her memories this early on… he'd be in a sling. "How do you feel about him?" Hopefully, Austin would reveal his true colors, his temper – the temper that had nearly crushed Anciana tonight again – and cancel out any hopes of reconciliation.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"I don't know. It's too soon to really tell, which is why I want to spend some quality time with him and get to know him again. He said he'll talk to me about the past, our childhood, which can only help with my memory problem." Anciana REFUSED to tell him what Steve said regarding their marriage or Mark. The last thing she needed was to stir the pot between them when it was clear they despised each other enough on their own. "But I do know how I feel about you." A sultry smile curved her lips as her hand slid up his chest to rest on his shoulder. "And he'll have to get over it since he's not happy about us being together."

"Understatement of the year." He snorted, letting his hands drop to her hips, pulling Anciana completely flush against his body.

"Okay, writing has incorporated your ideas and Vince says this is final pending your- no sex tonight." Paul had been running back and forth as this promo was hashed out to suit everyone, knowing Taker wasn't thrilled with the idea of going 'real' and against the character he had been building over the past few years.

"What if my luscious wife is on top?"

He pulled a face. "That would be fine, but gross… Not you, dear, him."

Anciana giggled softly, not taking offense to it and shook her head at her husband. "As much as I'd love to be on top of you, Bill is right. No sex tonight. You need to rest your back and I'm not gonna be responsible for hurting you further. I was already planning on no sex anyway."

She wanted to make it clear the man didn't put the idea into her head. If he didn't listen to her and tried coercing her into bed, she wouldn't hesitate to sleep in the living room of the suite since it had a couch. Bill had definitely splurged a little with the room and the jacuzzi would work wonders on Mark's body after Steve's attack.

"You should listen to your wife, she's the one with all the common sense." Paul advised with a smile, chuckling under his breath when Taker simply rolled his eyes. "I don't think you should need me tonight… it's just that promo. I'll arrange for Epsom salts and more painkillers to be waiting for you back at the hotel."

Then he was taking off for the night, put his ear to the ground, so to speak. Not to mention, he had other business to finish on the Phenom's behalf. He hadn't anticipated Taker being injured the way he had been tonight, but apparently that hot tub was still a brilliant idea.

"Thank you, mother."

"You should be so lucky." He was gathering up his few things, finally glancing at Anciana. "Do you want a ride back to the hotel or shall you be staying with him until he's finished?"

Mark was contemplating tattooing 'MOTHER' on Paul's forehead, though at that question, his emerald gaze moved onto his wife. Tonight had been one hell of a clusterfuck.

"I…um…" Anciana wanted to go back to the hotel and relax after everything that happened, but at the same time, she knew Mark needed her. Driving back to the hotel wouldn't be very comfortable for him and she could tell he was still in pain from that shot to the back. "I'll stay here with you."

Granted, she'd be stuck in the locker room for the duration of the night, but Anciana was alright with that. She had already had a talk with Steve, made plans to talk and felt marginally better about the situation. She still had to talk to Cameria, but that could wait for another time.

"Unless you'd rather I go back to the hotel?"

"You're fine whichever way, darlin'. This isn't my first injury, won't be my last." That was his way of telling her he'd make it without her, had done so prior to her, and was likely to continue doing so, when she wasn't on the road with him.

Reaching out, Mark pulled Anciana in between his legs since he was now sitting back down. Paul popping his back into place had relieved a lot of the pain and pressure he had been feeling, but he also knew he had to push water to help, on top of taking it easy for a night or so. When Anciana waved him off, Paul walked out of the room. He had an interfering bitch to go green light an accident for.

After kissing Mark goodbye quickly, Anciana ran up to catch up with Bill and joined him on the ride back to the hotel. On the way there, she admitted how much she missed Cameria, her only family she really knew besides Mark. Steve would get there, but not yet, she didn't know him well enough. Bill, much like Mark, warned her about Steve and implored her to be careful around him. Anciana agreed, kissed his cheek and went into the suite to start preparing for the after show, watching it on the television while cleaning up a bit. She also got the jacuzzi started, wanting Mark to dip in it as soon as he walked through the door because of his back. Sitting down, Anciana watched the show as it kicked off and, an hour into it, that's when Mark gave his speech, somewhat breaking character. It was mesmerizing and done perfectly; the emotion in his eyes and face were clear as day. This man, the Undertaker, deserved a world title shot against Steve Austin.

What he deserved was a chance to break Steve's spine. He was feeling it when he stiffly walked out of the arena, having already called for a taxi since Paul had taken the rental back to the hotel, along with Anciana. Not the agonizing pain Mark had felt when he had first taken the blow and then afterward, up until Bill had sorted him out, but still… painful. By the time he was dropped off at the hotel, he was in royal grouch mood. Cramped, stiffed, irritated… he made a mental note not to take it out on his wife and halted in the lobby, eyeballing the cart of fresh cut flowers.

When Mark walked inside the suite, the lights were dimmed with a few candles lit around, thanks to the front desk, the jacuzzi was bubbling with sweet smelling oils and dinner was already set up. Anciana looked up, her blonde hair piled on top of her head and all she had on was a white cotton robe, courtesy of the hotel. There was nothing underneath because they would be going into the jacuzzi shortly after eating dinner. She smiled at his baffled expression and felt her heart melt at the beautiful roses in his hand, padding over to him.

"I thought you could use some pampering since you've taken such great care of me." Taking the roses, she inhaled them and accepted a soft kiss from him, setting them down on the counter. "Thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."

This was a first. Mark had expected the jacuzzi to be going, but not… this. She had thought of everything. It smelled delicious, thanks to the candles, the light was perfect: he could see everything without it being overwhelming and there was food. Not to mention, Anciana looked like dessert and his eyes slowly skimmed up her bare legs to the hem of that robe, hazarding a guess that she was not wearing anything beneath it. Mark inwardly cursed wearing the sweat suit outfit still because he could feel his dick going half-mast, mentally eye-rolling at himself. He could not recall anyone ever doing this for him. Mark had done it as a seduction tactic, but nothing like this had been done for him. He thought the roses were woefully inadequate now.

"Darlin'… this is amazing."

"You've had a hard day and…I wanted to do something nice for you. I'm glad you like it. Now sit down, relax and eat." Taking his bag, she dropped it in the corner where he usually did and took his hand, guiding him to the table. "I had them prepare us a steak dinner with all the fixings. I figured you could use a good hearty meal before soaking in the jacuzzi and then getting a good night's sleep."

There was no seduction involved; all of this was done from her heart and Anciana could see the surprise in his eyes at what she'd done. It wasn't nearly as much as what he'd done for her, but definitely a start. While he began fixing his baked potato, Anciana put the roses in a glass vase that was in the makeshift kitchen, making sure to cut the bottom of the stems before immersing them in water. Then she sat down with her husband and had an amicably quiet meal.

This woman was… a mind fuck, he mused, as he ate in silence, studying her thoughtfully across the small table. On one hand, he could see the physical and personality traits that she shared with her twin, which was not a good thing. Personality anyway, she was gorgeous physically. Though those traits hadn't manifested until tonight. Mark was hoping to avoid that again because he had actually felt the urge to snap her neck in half; that was how much he hated Steve Austin. As she was now, with barely any of her memories or who she was before the accident, he could see himself keeping her. Well, Mark planned on keeping her regardless, but this woman as she was right now, he WANTED. Mid-meal, he had pushed back enough to peel off the sweatshirt. The hotel room was comfortably warm, and he preferred being bare-chested, to begin with, his eyes lit up in amusement when she raked her gaze over him.

"You look tired too, Ciana." He observed, taking in her posture. She had had a seriously overwhelming, messed up night. And yet somehow… she was still here with him.

"I am." Anciana couldn't deny it, taking another bite of her meal and pushed it away, unable to eat anymore.

It was mental and emotional exhaustion that rendered her not having much of an appetite. Mark, on the other hand, ate every bite, which wasn't a surprise and Anciana cleared the table, rolling the tray out to set against the wall outside of the room. While she did that, Mark busied himself with the jacuzzi, shedding his clothes and sank down into the water. She joined him moments later, removing her robe and let the jets and bubbles rush all over her naked body. Mark pulled her gently but firmly until she straddled his lap, a soft moan escaping her the moment his mouth captured hers.

"No sex remember? Your back…" She reminded in a mumble, caressing his arms and shoulders, her breasts pressed against his chest.

"I'm not hurting my back." He contended, his lips brushing against hers and then moved his lazy kisses down along her jawline, to the column of her beautiful throat.

Against her words, Anciana was tilting her head to the side, giving him full access and he smirked. His good little wife was worried about his physical well-being, but she was also freshly new to the delights of sex, he bet that was an interesting conflict of interest. Mark ran his hands up along her back, feeling her shiver in the wake of his palms and didn't stop his administrations. The jet right against his lower spine felt great, soothing the soreness away and her on his lap, responding to his touch… well, his back was the last thing on his mind at the moment.

"I'm fine, darlin'… this is fine."

She was emotionally depleted and probably feeling conflicted; Mark knew he would be if he were in her shoes. He wasn't risking losing her to her own thoughts, focusing on making her feel loved and desired, get a physical reaffirmation from her so to speak. No force of nature or act of god could stop her from responding to him and, honestly, Anciana needed this. She needed his attention and to feel his desire for her after tonight.

As much as he needed her, she needed him even more and lost herself in him. It was easy to do it and scary all at the same time, losing herself in someone like this. Steve's words rang through her mind about him being dangerous and Anciana squashed them, not believing that for a second. Mark wasn't dangerous and, if he was, it wasn't with her. She wanted to believe with every fiber of her being she hadn't married a man who was dangerous and cruel. If she was being even more honest, yes, sex with Mark was invigorating and addicting. When he rumbled in her ear if she wanted him, Anciana nodded and could feel his dick pulsating against her under the hot bubbly water.

"Yes…" Pulling back, she rested her forehead against his and kissed him softly, sliding her fingers through his slightly damp hair. "We go slow though. I won't hurt you further, okay?"

"Course, darlin'." He murmured, more focused on the feeling of sliding up and down against her wet cunt, remembering that game of Monopoly they had played.

Now that had been sexual tension and frustration at its finest. Worth the wait as far as he was concerned, discovering she had been a virgin. Mark had been her first and he was damn sure going to be her last. That had brought out something dark and possessive in him, not that he had let her know that, it wouldn't do their relationship, or his grand game, any favors.

"How's that feel, Ciana, hmmm?" His hands were on her hips, guiding her against his length without actually penetrating her.

"So damn good…" Anciana moaned out, not understanding why her body hungered for his touch and sex as much as it did.

It was almost as if her body was starved for attention, affection and Mark was willing to give it all to her. Slow…she had to keep reminding herself…they had to go slow because of his back. This man was chiseled out of stone, but Steve wore knee braces and that knee to the back had to hurt. Those braces were meant to absorb impact, so she could only imagine what they were made out of. Probably some kind of metal, especially in this line of work. Pushing that thought of her mind, Anciana focused on the feelings Mark erupted from her and began kissing his neck, teasing him as much as he was her. Then, Mark pushed her back enough to turn her around to where her back was against his chest and slowly slid inside of her, giving her an all-new experience with both sex in a jacuzzi and position.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"Mark…"

It was a bit of a double-edged sword, he thought, kissing along her bare shoulders as he just held her there, impaled on him. He had to act like she knew what she was doing, which, for the most part, her body did, like they had been here before. However, at the same time… they hadn't, she hadn't. She was learning, and he was teaching her, or at least guiding. Anciana had proven several times now that she had no problem in doing whatever felt good and responded to him with a fire that was delightful, to put it mildly.

Truthfully, Anciana just went with whatever felt natural and good because that's all she could do. She wasn't skilled in the bedroom and everything happening to her, without her knowledge, was brand new. Mark had opened her up to a whole new world of sex and pleasure and she didn't know it. If she ever regained her memories, that would be a HUGE difference since she was no longer a virgin like she'd been prior to the accident.

"Not just yet…" He growled, biting at the back of her neck, just beneath her hairline and maintained his hold on her, refusing to let her move. She could definitely feel him throbbing and, with a smirk, he let go with one hand to reach around, stroking her from the front.

"Please…" She wasn't above begging him to end her torment as his long, nimble fingers pleasured her beneath the water. It was torture being impaled, but no movement besides his fingers against her bundle of nerves. "Oh god…"

"Please what, Anciana?" He growled huskily, nibbling on her earlobe.

Feeling her squirming against him, or trying to, her inner walls clenched around him almost anxiously, urging him to move, but he wouldn't. This was torture, for them both, but it was delicious. She had wanted to go slow for his back's sake, so… they were going to go painfully slow. His long legs were stretched out now, easily reaching the other end of the jacuzzi and he used them to brace himself as he ever so gently, slowly, arched his hips, while still not allowing Anciana to move. Mark could both hear and feel her moan as her entire body shuddered, letting out a mild curse at that one because it felt good in a whole new different way.

No words came out of her open mouth, only uncontrollable moans and Anciana couldn't think straight or form a coherent sentence. She whimpered, feeling him move his hips again while she sat settled on his lap. Why wasn't he letting her move? Finally, Anciana dug her nails into his thighs, hearing him hiss in her ear and they began to move as one. Once again, it was on pure instinct what she did, her hips rolling to force him inside of her further.

Anciana had no idea how crazy she was making both of them by doing this and only knew it felt incredible. Her hands moved from his thighs to slid up her body, plucking her nipples as she began riding him in the new position, letting herself go completely. That was until Mark gripped her hips and lifted her slightly before slamming her back down, both of them groaning at the friction. He did it again…and again…until she got the hang of what he wanted her to do and before long, she was bouncing on and off his cock, the water splashing against the sides of the jacuzzi.

She was so tiny compared to him and water, coupled with the actual tub itself, made for a slippery ride, so Mark moved his hands up to cup her breasts. However, watching her touching herself from the view over her shoulder had been arousing. His calloused hands held her in his palms, fingers moving to roll her nipples between finger and thumb. This allowed Anciana the ability to brace herself with her now freed hands, which not only made her a bit safer but allowed her to bring herself down a bit harder. Leaning back, his eyes dropped down. Every time she raised herself off of him and then moved back down, it was a visual feast, seeing her pussy sliding down and taking every inch of him.

He was a bit on the voyeuristic side.

Slow…go slow, Anciana coached herself mentally, wanting to lose control, but she couldn't, not with his back injury. He was making her do all the work, not that she minded because Mark had done his fair share with her ever since they started having sex. The bouncing ceased as she began rolling her hips again, hearing Mark groan in frustration. Now he knew how she felt not being able to move! The water didn't make things any easier because it felt like she was fighting against the weight of it surrounding them. She didn't have the leverage on her knees to be able to fully enjoy this position and found herself turning back around to face him. His cock slid home again, and her hands gripped his shoulders, her mouth hovering over his while staring into his smoldered dark forest orbs.

"Much better, handsome…your cock feels so good inside of me…." Once again, the agonizingly slow roll of her hips commenced.

"You have no idea, darlin'."

One massive hand gripped the back of her neck, capturing her lips in a passionate, demanding kiss while the other trailed down her back. His palm skimmed the curve of her luscious backside before he ran a finger along the path his hand had blazed. He had to wonder just how open to experimentation his not so blushing bride was, not breaking the kiss as he next ran the tip of his finger up and down her spine again, before following the natural path down. Mark could feel her tense, even though she didn't stop moving, nor did she break the kiss, so he assumed she was waiting see what he would do.

The sound of his low baritone vibrated her body as she increased the pace of her thrusts, gasping when she felt something different. Mark was full of surprises and she didn't know how to feel about this new sensation. It was a little painful having his large finger in her hole, but at the same time, she liked it. Who would've thought she'd enjoy having a finger in her butthole during sex? "Mark…"

She moaned against his mouth before gliding her lips down his jaw to his neck again, crying out at the sharp thrusts he began producing inside of her. They were still going slow, but he was taking control of this dance. He never stopped penetrating her second hole with his finger while his cock continued driving them closer to the point of no return.

"W-What are you doing to me?" It came out in a shaky moan.

In all honesty, probably grooming her for a lifetime of debauchery… because Mark's line pretty much stopped at children and animals. He was a 'try most things once' kind of guy. Since Anciana had no memories prior to him, other than what he told her, or she learned on her own, there was a whole new world of sexual deviancy they could get up to together.

"Does it feel good, darlin'?" He asked, his voice gruff and tipped his head back to stare into her face, making sure he wasn't outright hurting her.

A little pleasure, a little pain, those went hand in hand, plain pain… not so much. Well, not with her. When Anciana gave a hesitant nod, he smiled, using his other hand to cup her face reassuringly.

"I got you, Anciana."

Breathing shakily, Anciana swallowed hard and continued moving on him, his finger sliding in just a little deeper with each passing second. She would probably be sore from this in the morning and that was fine. It would be a delicious sore and the jacuzzi would help soothe the pain as well. The combination of his cock and finger was too much for her senses to take, especially when he upped the pace between them. Within minutes, her climax hit, washing over her and made her body tremble, crying out his name in the process. His finger never left her backside and he hadn't reached his end yet as she continued meeting him for every thrust, her body incredibly sensitive.

Anciana was going to sleep like the dead tonight, that he could guarantee, and it brought a whole new meaning to his moniker 'the Deadman'. She hadn't stopped moving, but her climax had also started both tensing and relaxing her body at the same time. Mark began the process of slowly adding a second finger to her tight hole, feeling her pussy trying to drain him, greedily spasming around him, quivering as her orgasm continued on and he wasn't done with her, not just yet. He wasn't about to take her anally, not with his dick, not tonight, but that didn't mean it wasn't in the cards one of these nights, especially when he felt her moving on him in a way that only pushed both digits further in her. She was enjoying it and his eyes rolled into the back of his head, struggling to keep himself in check. He wasn't ready to cum, damn her!

If Mark flat out asked her if he could take her anally, she would've denied him. This man was huge and hung, there was no way he could fit inside of her backside without splitting her in half. However, he didn't go that route and instead used his fingers for that area, which she didn't mind. His dick – absolutely not. It would never happen. When Mark finally exploded inside of her, filling her with his seed yet again, Anciana collapsed against him since his climax triggered another from her. She was completely spent and could barely keep her eyes open, the endorphins her body released making her crash. Mark lifted her out of the jacuzzi and laid her in bed, not even bothering to wrap her in a towel. He joined her moments later and they passed out in each other's arms, wet and satisfied with the blanket over them.

* * *

Steve was at the coffee shop bright and early, having paged Anciana several times. He wasn't normally a patient man, but this was his twin sister, who he hadn't seen in over a decade. His twin, who apparently had been in an accident, lost her memories, and was married to Satan himself. He took a deep breath, glancing at the time again and frowned, wondering if she had changed her mind. Then the frown turned into a scowl, wondering if her husband had changed her mind for her.

He had not, Mark knew better. However, she had slept through the pager beeping at her, so had he. At least until it came more frequently, and he sighed, popping one eye open as Anciana yawned and raised her head off his chest.

"Think it's yours…" He rumbled, trying to clear the brain fog.

"Hmm?" Anciana reached her hand out without looking, letting out a loud, long yawn and looked at the pager through squinted eyes. "OH SHIT!" She practically shrieked, jumping out of bed and groaned at how sore she was, her hair a mess of haphazard blonde. "Fuck – FUCK, I overslept! Damn it, shit!" Yanking the phone, she dialed Steve's number and waited for him to answer, breathing a sigh of relief when he did on the third ring. "I'm on my way, give me 20 minutes. I overslept." She hung up before he could utter a word and FLEW into the bathroom to get dressed, cursing for not setting the alarm clock before going to bed.

In her defense, her husband had worn her out to the point where she'd passed out, but…that was still no excuse. Laughing huskily under his breath, Mark took the pillows and propped them behind him, moving so he was in a half-sitting half-reclining position and stretched his arms and legs out. His back didn't twinge, he'd take that as a good sign. He listened to Anciana cursing herself out in the bathroom, shaking his head. When she finally came out, he had to cover his mouth with his hand.

"Darlin', your pants are on inside out." Which would explain why she was struggling to button them. She was late, and she looked nervous. Mark sighed and slipped out from beneath the blankets, walking over in all his naked glory to steady her. "Calm down, Anciana."

"This is NOT funny, Mark." Anciana grumbled, taking the pants off and putting them on correctly, blowing out a breath. It was her own fault for getting swept up in her husband and their activities…now she was keeping her brother waiting, who could potentially unlock some of her memories. "Sorry, I don't mean to snap at you. This isn't your fault, I'm just…nervous…" That was an understatement. "And you standing in front of me naked is NOT helping the situation, please go get some clothes on."

Groaning, she turned her back to him and pulled a shirt on, after buttoning her jeans, and didn't know how to make herself look presentable in record time. Mark had absolutely no intention of putting on clothes because he still hadn't had a morning shower. Instead, he began finger combing her rat's nest of hair, patiently working out the snarls while she sorted the buttons on her jeans.

"Do you want me to come with you, Ciana?" He asked gently, glancing down into her face. Mark could even promise to behave. "I don't have to sit with you, I can grab coffee by myself." Maybe just his presence, being nearby, would keep her calm because she looked peaky.

"No, this is something I need to do on my own. Besides, Bill told me you have media appearances in…one hour. You better get a shower and dress." She informed him, smirking when he cursed and jumped into the shower instantly. At least she wasn't the ONLY one who was running late this morning and had forgotten priorities. "I'll see you in a couple hours!" She called through the curtain before hightailing it out of the bathroom and suite, her purse with keycard, wallet and pager in hand.

Steve waited nearly an hour before she finally arrived, walking into the coffee shop, or rather running inside, nearly skidding since the floors were somewhat slick. "Shit!"

Since Steve had been watching the door like a hawk, when he seen Anciana coming up the sidewalk, he was up and waiting for her. He mentally facepalmed himself when she went sliding and moved forward to catch her before she could go splat against a wall, table or another patron. "I see amnesia didn't do shit to fix yer klutz tendencies when yer in a hurry." He teased, steadying her for a moment before letting go, gesturing her towards the table he had been occupying all morning.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Hello to you too." Anciana grumbled, not amused the floor had been slick and knew she probably looked like a crazy person. Her hair was still somewhat haphazard, but at least it was brushed. She'd made sure to do that much before jetting out the door. "Sorry I'm late. I forgot to set the damn alarm clock before going to bed last night." Sitting down, she ordered an expresso with a crumb cake type of dessert that could be passed off as breakfast and folded her hands in her lap, looking around the café. The silence between them was deafening. "So…how are you?" Talk about a lame icebreaker.

Steve could only raise a slow blonde brow, staring at her intently. Was she seriously leading off with that? It sounded so lame.

"That was lame." He then voiced his thoughts, snorting as he reached for his third cup of straight black, strong coffee. His lips curved into a half smile when she grinned at him, feeling some of the tension melt. "I'm great, however, thanks for askin'."

Steve didn't want to know how she was, not really because she had overslept. Anciana, well… the Anciana he had known, did not oversleep. She had been up bright and early, every day. It had been annoying. So either she had gotten a reboot and missed something, or Taker had purposefully kept her up.

"Makin' small talk seems stupid, Anci." They were twins for Christ sakes.

"I know, but…what else am I supposed to say to you? I don't really…know you, not yet anyway. I'd like to get to know you since we're twins…" Anciana decided to tell him about that, keeping her voice low and quiet, not wanting others eavesdropping on their conversation. "The moment I saw you on the TV, I felt a connection to you…and I don't know why. I didn't tell Mark about it either." Mark had told her, somewhat, about his job and the bald bastard that had made him miserable. That had to be Steve. "You two don't like each other…" It was an observation, she didn't bother questioning it. "I want to know why."

Now that was just weird, but he had been expecting it anyway. Of course, she had felt a connection when she had seen him on television, they were twins. "Why didn't you tell Mark about the connection?" He asked, ignoring her questions, for now, he'd get to them. Anciana obviously didn't have much of a good answer for that, outside of the 'didn't like each other' thing and he frowned. "You think it would've pissed him off? You scared of him, Anci?" If either of those were the case, those were both warning signs and she should know it.

"No, of course not! I just…" How was she supposed to tell her twin brother the amount of sexual tension she'd experienced with her husband during that time? "I didn't know him very well…because of the amnesia, so I didn't bring anything up regarding his job. I'm not scared of my husband. I have no reason to be." Hell, after last night, all she wanted to do was have sex and still didn't understand where that insatiable appetite stemmed from. "I was going through a lot, Steve. I still am…now answer my question. Why don't you and Mark hate each other? Is it…because of me? Because I married him?"

"I didn't even know you WERE married to him, Anci." Steve exclaimed and waved the server over to refill his cup, followed almost immediately by her crumbly dessert and tiny shot of coffee placed on the table. "I didn't know you were in an accident, didn't know you were married to him…" He felt like a total shit bag, not knowing his twin had been in a car accident and been run over by her husband, no less! "Taker and I just hate each other… He's a tool, an evil one at that." He scowled, blue eyes glinting over to ice.

"You just hate each other…that's not…never mind, new subject." Anciana wasn't getting anywhere with Steve and she was annoyed at how he spoke about Mark. Whether he liked it or not, Mark was her husband, and nothing would change that unless something catastrophic happened such as he cheated on her or hurt her. "Since I lost my memories, I don't remember anything from my childhood…our childhood. I was hoping if I talked to you about our past, it might jog my memories and break the amnesia. It's a longshot, but…you're the only one who can help me with this memory problem."

Taker was not a topic they were ever going to agree on, he knew that one quite well. Even for his long-lost twin, he wasn't about to tone down on the asshole, even if she were married to him. Steve had his reasons, just like Taker had his and they'd just leave it at that. So long as they didn't try inviting him over for turkey and football during Thanksgiving or any holidays, Steve could tolerate it. Providing he couldn't get some sense into Anciana and get her to see the light. From the way her chin had tensed, and her posture gone rigid, he was guessing he wouldn't reach her anytime soon. That meant he'd have to wait, be patient because eventually, Taker would screw up all on his own just because evil couldn't be hidden forever.

"All right, honey, let's start with… you being a kid, that be all right?" He asked finally, smiling when she nodded and started in on her childhood, their childhood.

When he got to the part about them splitting a bowl of popcorn during movies, when they were younger, Anciana burst into tears and Steve immediately shot out of his chair to comfort her. She leaned against him, tears pouring down her face and explained, through light sobbing, why she was crying and why it affected her so much. The day she felt like she'd been struck by lightning was when she made some popcorn in the kitchen. She'd gotten really dizzy, the memory of the children playing and chasing the kite flashed through her mind, and it all stemmed from popcorn. She didn't think food could have such a powerful reaction, but apparently, it did.

"I hate that I can't remember any of this…" Her voice broke as Steve continued rubbing her back soothingly, resting his cheek on top of her head.

It made sense though, the popcorn thing. Even if her memory was gone, there were just things that even the mind had to sit up and pay attention too. Like certain sounds, or in her case, the scent of popcorn. Though, why popcorn had triggered the kite memory… weird how the brain functioned sometimes. Though Steve supposed, her brain was a bit damaged from the accident and amnesia.

"I remember it, honey." He said softly, now beginning to run his fingers through her blonde hair. Hair that was thick and not fine and thin like his had turned out to be. "And I'll try to help you remember too, I promise, Anci."

"B-But…you and Mark h-hate each other…" She stammered out, wiping her nose with a napkin he handed her and didn't bother brushing the tears away. More would fall. "H-How am I supposed to get to know you w-when you hate him so m-much?" Mark was her husband and she would have to put him over Steve every time their schedules with her conflicted. "I just want to be happy again…and Mark makes me happy. I-I can't explain why. Maybe like the popcorn thing, I DO harbor how I used to feel for him." Maybe she did love him, even though she hadn't said those words yet. "I d-don't want to lose any more t-time with you, Stevie."

Blinking, Anciana saw the smile spread across her brother's face and knew that was another memory surfacing. It was working. Talking to her brother was slowly but surely making her memories return.

"I used to call you that…didn't I?"

"Yep, unless you were mad at me, then it was Steven." He chuckled, moving her so she was back to her proper sitting position and then moved back around to his chair, staring at her intently. Others were also staring and, if it bothered her, he had no problem in clearing a place out. "Taker and I don't have to like each other for you and me to have a relationship, Anci." Steve grunted finally, really hating himself for saying that. "And… I think you need to… um, well… maybe comin' home and seein', or meetin'," That felt wrong to say. "Mom and Dad would help… with yer memories."

"Mom and Dad…"

Anciana hadn't even thought about the possibility of having parents, simply because Cameria never mentioned it. Hell, she probably didn't tell Cameria anything about her family since she hadn't seen them in years. Running away from home at age 16…what the hell was she thinking? All to pursue wrestling – was it really that important to her? That seemed so trivial now, even though the moment she stepped inside that ring yesterday, she never felt more alive.

"Do they…hate me for leaving?" The last thing she wanted to do was hurt their parents more than she already had.

"No, honey, they don't hate you. Dad was pissed, sure, but that was a long time ago, Anciana, and time tends to make you forget why you were mad in the first place." He said gently, reaching across the table to take her hand, squeezing gently. "Mom was never mad at you, to begin with." He was pretty sure Mom was the only one who had stood by Anciana while he, the twin, had been against the crazy idea of her trying out for wrestling. Look how that had turned out, she had wound up married to a damn wrestler! "I'm pretty sure they'll shit bricks, though…" The car accident, losing her memories… being married.

"I would…have to bring Mark if I went to see them. He's their son-in-law after all and…" Anciana immediately cut her words off, seeing Steve's head was starting to turn red again and heaved a heavy sigh. "Perhaps it would be best if I went with him alone on a day you're not there. Just so you two don't have to deal with each other." This would be easier said than done, but maybe one day, Steve would see how much Mark truly loved her and all would be forgiven and forgotten between them. Whatever had happened was bad, but hopefully, with time, just like Steve said, it healed the wounds. "I'd love to have you there, but…Mark will be coming with me."

"Anciana, yer lookin' at this wrong, honey." Steve's tone was pleading. "They haven't seen you in 16 years. And now – now you don't even remember them. They're going to have to cope with that and you want to… to spring a husband on them?" He knew this had to be overwhelming as hell for her, but their parents weren't exactly spring chickens either. "I'm just sayin', you need to baby step with them… see how they take seein' you again, on top of… well… it hurts, honey, you not rememberin' me. It's tearin' me up. I don't want to know how it'll be for Mom and Dad."

"B-But I don't know if I can do this without him, Stevie. He's been my rock for the past 6 months since all of this happened. They're going to see the ring on my finger because I'm not removing it. They're going to know I'm married."

Anciana was through with the lies and deceit, understanding where her brother was coming from, but at the same time, telling them everything was the right thing to do. They deserved to know what happened to her and to meet their son-in-law they didn't know they had. Steve and Mark were brother-in-laws, though she had a feeling her twin would never accept that.

"I'm scared to see them again…I need Mark to be there with me in case it all goes to hell."

"God… let me break this all to them first…" He beseeched, running a palm over his flushed scalp. "If you insist on doing it like this." Steve got it, this was her show and about her pain and misery. It sounded like she had been through plenty since they practically ran her off when she was 16, but dear god. "They're not… I don't know, Anci. I just don't know. It's hard, having all these memories of you and you not knowing jack shit about me or them." He kind of got what it must be like for those people who had lost loved ones to memory diseases, having to suffer loving that person without being known or remembered.

"Okay, but I don't want you to tell them about Mark. That should be my responsibility to break the marriage to them. So I'll handle that part, but you can tell them about the accident and amnesia." Anciana was willing to compromise, squeezing Steve's hand across the table and sighed gently. "Just let me know when they want me to come see them, and I'll figure out the schedule."

Releasing his hand, she sipped her coffee and took a bite out of her breakfast dessert, feeling her appetite rising again. The nervousness was gone, and it was strange how familiar and trusting she was of this man she hardly knew. Her twin brother. Maybe it was the twin thing, she didn't know.

Her bringing the Undertaker home… he could already see that one playing out. That slick son of a bitch had a way of charming people, who didn't know him. Steve had seen it firsthand; hell, he WAS seeing it firsthand with his twin. How someone managed to stifle down that much maliciousness, that much evil and put on such… charm, he couldn't wrap his head around it. Steve groaned, deciding this was his last cup of coffee, it was beer-thirty somewhere. He'd rather be drunk then jittery and anxious, though it took quite a bit to knock him on his feet.

"Tell me about you, since the accident, Anci." He requested after a moment, knowing he had to get to know THIS Anciana and shelve, for now, the one he used to know. Hell, he hadn't known her since 16, so she had a lifetime neither of them knew about now.

"There's really not much to say." Mark revolved around her world and was the center of her universe. Anciana didn't have any kind of hobbies or…anything, really. She did enjoy watching movies with popcorn so that at least hadn't changed. "It's weird having all these suppressed memories and, yet, I know I'm a completely different person without them." A shell of her former self. It broke her heart every time she thought about it and the anguish on her face wasn't missed by Steve. "When I'm home with Mark, or without him, I keep myself busy in the gym he has. Working out helps clear my head and relaxes me, for some reason. Probably the whole dream of becoming a professional wrestler thing. Other than that I…I really don't know what to tell you about me…"

Honestly, Steve didn't know what she could tell him either, inwardly sighing. It sounded like she was basically… Mark's wife and that was pretty much it. He remembered his ambitious, ready to take on the world and professional wrestling obsessed, twin. It was… hard, seeing her this way now, basically up the Undertaker's backside.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"I got an idea…" He began to smile. "You still get that rush in the ring, you're still drawn to it, right?" At her nod, his grin broadened. "Why not train? I'll work with you, and maybe that'd unlock something. What do ya think?"

Anciana had obviously been compelled to get into that ring and she had delivered a perfect move, something he doubted Taker had taught her. Obviously, she had something buried trying to come out and Steve would help nudge that out, if she'd let him. Her crystalline eyes, that mirrored his, sparkled and lit up like stars the moment he offered to train her in the ring.

"Really? Wait, weren't you against me becoming a wrestler in the first place?" She pointed out, folding her arms in front of her chest and eyeballed her twin suspiciously. "Why would you offer to train me now? I mean, I realize the years have passed, but I didn't think you'd change your mind THAT easily, Steven."

Her eyes widened when she called him that, not expecting it to come out and could see the grin on her twin's face. The old her was still in here, deep inside, dormant and sleeping. They had to wake her up somehow, someway.

"First of all, Anci Smancy," He smirked when she made a disgusted face; good to know some things didn't change. "That was 16 years ago. I know for you, there's no memory of it, but for me… it was… like a lifetime ago." He sighed, shaking his head. "And it drove you off. All those years have a way of making things like that fight seem stupid, especially when it's obvious you never quit, and even now, you still got that passion. So it looks like I mighta been wrong." He had no problem admitting when he was in the wrong. "So you might see it as changing my mind easily, but you gotta remember I've had years to dwell on it, and… I don't want to lose you again, sis."

"I'm sorry for everything I did back then, even though I don't remember it. It sounds like I was a pain in the ass." They both chuckled at that, the tension once again lifting. "You won't lose me, Stevie. I promise you that. And when I get my memories back, we can…start building what we've lost, all the time we went without seeing each other. Christmases, holidays in general, birthdays…I refuse to miss any more time with my family and especially my twin." The amount of fierceness in her voice shone through, the determination in her eyes the same as Steve. They really were twins with the same ambition and love for professional wrestling. "When do you want to start training me?"

"Whenever is good. I don't have the same schedule as others. I'm just now kinda hittin' my stride."

He had spent years trying to make a name for himself and only now was it coming to fruition. Not to mention, Vince had learned the hard way not to send him and Taker to the same media appearances or signings, not outside of an arena. It ended badly. 

"You might wanna think about workin' out." Steve had seen she was fairly built, but maintaining and building strength never hurt. Anciana was built in a way that made it, so she didn't look like a muscle head when she did work out. "You stayin' on the road with Taker?"

That was kind of crucial to him training her because Steve couldn't take time off, not now. Not when he was on his way to becoming one of the fastest rising stars in the business. Something not even the almighty Undertaker had managed to accomplish. Steve might've been a brash, loud mouth bastard with a take no prisoner's attitude or bullshit from anyone, but he was also a very hard worker and had earned this spot.

"I am, yeah."

Vince hadn't contacted her about the line yet, so she still had time to decide if she was really going to do it or not. To be involved and in the middle of these two…her husband and twin brother…it was crazy to actually contemplate doing it. However, it would also get Anciana's foot in the door with the company.

"No sense in leaving if I'm going to be training with you. So let's get something to eat, real food, and then work it off in the gym and then maybe do a little training session afterwards. Sound good?" Grinning at his nod, they stood up with Steve paying for the coffee and her breakfast snack before heading out to get some REAL food at a local diner. Anciana wondered how Mark would react to Steve training her in the ring again.

Steve was kind of wondering the same thing and he made a mental note, for all her talk about her husband, she hadn't gone running to make a call or anything to let the man know she was extending her morning time with her brother. Good. He wasn't going to go out of his way to actively drive a wedge between Anciana and Taker; he wasn't going to risk losing her again, but also wouldn't go out of his way to not… drive that wedge. He would have to try channeling some patience for this and, when it came to the Undertaker, he didn't have much and ride it out. Eventually, that bastard would show his hand, show his true self and, when he did, Steve would be there to help his twin through it.

"Sounds good to me, honey." He laughed, right behind her.

Mark Calaway would take it like the man he was. He would be a supportive, loving husband who had an intense dislike for her brother he was going to attempt pretending to shelve, all for her sake. The Undertaker, on the other hand, would likely not be amused and want to take Steve Austin's head off with a dull knife, just because it would hurt the idiot more.

Running the ropes came easy for Anciana. They had stopped by her hotel suite, so she could change and then headed out. Mark was still at his media appearances, thankfully, so he wouldn't know Steve was in their room. Not that it mattered, this was her twin brother and he would have to cope with having him in her life again. It couldn't always be just Mark in her life. She didn't want to devote her entire self to the man and wanted to do things on her own, try things, explore and get to know herself again. Steve would help with that tremendously and it would all start with her getting back in the ring.

After running the ropes, Steve showed her how to take a fall and, once again, Anciana did it perfectly. It was like riding a bike again getting back in the ring and she'd never felt more exhilarated in her life. Steve even seemed impressed with her natural athletic ability, especially when she did a backflip off the top turnbuckle and nearly made him stroke out. That was hilarious to witness, and she had to run to the bathroom, so she didn't pee herself from laughing so hard at her twin.

Anciana had always been athletic. She had done soccer. Tennis. Softball. Softball had been a big thing. In Texas, boys did football and girls played softball and god help those kids, who weren't into the sports scene because it meant they were social outcasts. Anciana had not been one of 'those' kids. Seeing her ability, which he assumed she had learned on her own, after she had left home, still intact, had been… shocking, actually. The fact she had gone out and still done what she wanted, even after they had emotionally and verbally abused the ever-loving hell out of her for 'wild' dreams, Steve was proud of her and wished he could go back in time to slap younger Steve.

"Damn woman."

"I guess I really did want to be a wrestler. I don't even know how I'm remembering to do these moves. This is crazy!" She laughed, bouncing over to her brother and draped an arm around his neck, pulling him down enough to kiss his cheek. "I didn't mean to scare you. Sorry." Maybe doing a backflip off the TOP turnbuckle wasn't the best idea. "Okay, so show me some moves. I got the running ropes and landing down. I want to learn some actual moves besides that snap arm drag…" Blinking, Anciana couldn't recall being told that move, but yet, she already knew what it was called. Was this another sign her memories were slowly returning? "This is so weird…"

"Maybe. But you got the passion, Anci, the drive." Steve pointed out, passing her a bottle of water from the cooler he had brought down and placed on top of the ring steps. He opened his, taking a long drink as he stared at her. "Maybe shit like that is just… ingrained, you know? Maybe you should ask yer doctor about it." Anciana looked like she was musing over that and he smiled. "All right, let's see how much upper body strength you have. We're going to lock up and I'll talk you through some moves, okay?"

Steve Austin and his twin sister… practicing. Vince was a bit amused as he watched the pair, glad his assistant had pulled him out of the meeting for this. Anciana definitely had potential.

Not knowing they were being watched, Anciana locked up with Steve, put him in a headlock and when he bounced her off the ropes, she tackled him with her shoulder. A blunt shoulder tackle sent him on his backside. Her upper body strength had returned because of the workouts she did at home while Mark was on the road. Her muscle definition had also returned. She laughed as Steve shook his bald head up at her in disbelief and extended her hand, laughing harder when he pulled her down to start tickling.

"Stop it, Steven! STOP!" She squealed out, trying to get away from him, but he was too strong for her. "This isn't wrestling!"

"Sure it is." He teased, cursing when she got him with her elbow. "That's cheating, Anci!"

Two Austin's… and this was not the Steve Austin he knew. Vince arched a brow, finally nodding at his assistant. "Get the writers on the ball. I want a line drafted, so I can make another offer."

Of course, he could present an offer to Anciana all he wanted, but he also had to get Steve and Taker on board or else there was no line. He could do that. It would take persuasion, especially with the Deadman, and Vince stroked his chin thoughtfully. He would manage it.

Technically, Anciana was not an Austin, not ever, because their actual last names were Williams. And she wasn't a Williams anymore, she was a Calaway. Her driver's license and social security card said so. Once Anciana got freed of Steve's torturous tickling, she tackled him to the mat and put him in an arm bar, once again going on instinct.

"Tap." She yawned out playfully, hearing him cussing up a storm because there was NO way out of this hold, not without hurting the opponent. When he tapped her leg, surrendering, Anciana got to her feet and jumped up and down in victory before jumping in her brother's arms, kissing his bald head. "I think that's enough for today. I don't wanna keep kicking my brother's ass, you know."

Steve chuckled, letting her think what she wanted. She was getting away with a lot of her antics, arm bar notwithstanding, because he was allowing her too. There was a major difference in their build and strength, as well as knowledge, she'd learn all that in time. He was tempted, however, to teach her how to use her size and strength in a way that would allow her to take down men properly, just so he could eventually see her to do it on the Undertaker, husband or not. 

"Sure thing, honey." He drawled, hugging her briefly before setting her down.

After spending the majority of the afternoon with her brother, Anciana finally made her way back to the hotel. Mark had a house show tonight and she would be attending, wanting to soak up as much knowledge in the ring as possible. Even though she wouldn't be in it, she could still watch and learn. Walking inside, Anciana peeled her clothes off and stepped into the shower, needing to wash the grime away from today's workout. Her body was sore, in a good way, and it made her believe even further she was destined to become a professional wrestler. Her body was conditioned to take the bumps she did today and Anciana knew her brother had taken it easy on her. That was fine, she was prove to him overtime she wasn't made of porcelain and could hold her own in the ring against any adversary. When she stepped out a half an hour later, in just a towel, Anciana was surprised to find Mark sitting on the bed, waiting for her.

Vince McMahon was not the only one who had people keeping eyes on Anciana, his people however… weren't employees. He preferred using the destitute, the vagabonds, people who were loyal to the cash he offered. Loyalty was bought with money, he had learned that very quickly. A lot of wrestlers had set up 'girlfriends' in each major city, every place the WWF tended to hit a few times a year, so Mark had built himself a network of people ready to do anything for him and the money they now knew he was good for. It came in handy.

"You look tired, darlin'." He said by way of greeting, emerald eyes roaming her body, a half smirk curving his lips. Mark knew why she was tired too, but he'd keep that to himself and see how she responded. "How was the visit with Austin?"

"It was great. I don't know why I was nervous – I mean I DO know why, but…never mind, that's not important." Anciana hadn't meant to ramble and talk so fast, but she'd had an exhilarating day and felt even better after a nice how soothing shower. "He offered to train me in the ring, you know, again and I accepted. He also said that I should go see our Mom and Dad…and he's going to tell them what happened to me, kinda break it gently to them, before I show up…with you. I mean, you ARE their son-in-law and I think having my family around again will help with the memory issue." While she spoke, she walked around the room gathering various items like her brush and lotion along with clothes to change into. "I belong in that ring, Mark. I don't know how I know it, but…I do. And I want to be a wrestler. So please tell me you support on this." His support would mean everything to her and, hopefully, he could swallow his pride when it came to Steve whenever he was around.

"Obviously you're meant to be a wrestler, darlin', you took my ass down, didn't you?" Amusement laced his tone as he watched his wife fluttering around. He had a bit of time before the house show and even then, time before his match. Standing up, he stopped her from gathering her things, gently taking her clothes and setting them back down before cupping Anciana's face in his hands. "You really want to take me to meet your parents?" Mark knew their tiff, hers and her family's, was a thing of the past. For her, long forgotten, literally, but even so, this was kind of a major thing. He could just imagine the salt in Austin's eyes when she had told him that one, inwardly laughing his ass off. When Anciana nodded, he bent down to kiss her, an arm snaking about her waist to draw her up against his body.

His kisses always melted her from the inside out and this time was no exception, her hands gripping his muscular biceps. "Y-You're my husband…of course I want you to meet them. You're part of my life for the rest of my life, so they'll have to accept it." Mark rested his forehead against hers, rubbing their noses together gently and she sighed in contentment. "And Steve has promised to mind his manners when I'm with you on the road." That would be for a while since she was training in the ring again. "Or at least, when I'm present." They were gearing up to feud and that made her nervous, not wanting either of them to get hurt or to hurt each other. "Thank you for letting me go alone today to sort this out. So, are you okay with Steve training me? You can teach me a few things too, if you want…"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"He can train you."

If he said 'no', Mark didn't want Steve near her, that'd just be putting a nail in his own casket. He'd pass, Austin had promised to behave, had he? The idiot had nearly killed her last night in his rage to get to him, so he seen this all playing out quite well for him.

"I'll get in the ring with you on occasion, darlin', but I'd be afraid of hurting you." Mark didn't play nice, he was rough, and made sure people knew this was a legitimate profession. "I will, however," His smirk got devilish and within seconds, he had slammed her down onto the bed, his body hovering over hers. "Help you work out…" He loosened that towel, letting it fall down her sides and looked down to take in her body, growling his approval.

"Mmm what a splendid idea, handsome…" Anciana purred, pulling the shirt he had on over his head to toss it to the floor and brought his face down to hers, passionately kissing him. "Somebody missed me today."

They hadn't seen each other since earlier that morning and it was going on 4 in the afternoon. Around 9 hours or so without each other was apparently too long for him. This man had an insatiable appetite for sex, but then again, so did she ever since he'd awakened those feelings in her.

"Oh, Mark…"

A knock on the door severed any plans of sexual activity. "Taker, you better get ready for the arena! You're gonna be late!" It was Paul.

Giggling at her husband's growling, for a completely different reason, Anciana promised they would continue later and slid from beneath him to finish getting dressed. She went into the bathroom, so Mark could let Bill inside the room while they finished getting ready.

"Did I come at a bad time?"

"You know damn well I have over an hour before I even have to think about leaving, you fucking cock blocking son of a bitch." Mark snarled down at the older man. "Since WHEN are you so goddamn annoying?"

"Apparently, since you brought your wife on the road." Paul was at a disadvantage. He was short and apparently a cock block. He moved out of range of said cock, just in case. "You should wear jeans."

"I'm going to kill you…"

As much as she loved sex with her husband, Mark was wearing her out and if he wasn't careful, her body would go on strike against him. Besides, she had started her period earlier that day while training with Steve, so he had a rude awakening coming once they were back at the hotel later that night. Anciana supposed she could have sex while on her period, but she needed a break from it. Just one night without sex because they'd been going at it like rabbits ever since they reconciled. Anciana would be sore later on and feel the aftermath of her training session with Steve soon enough, she was waiting for it to kick in.

"Good evening, Bill." She greeted with a smile, kissing his cheek and could hear her husband grumbling, rolling her eyes. The man acted as if he'd never gotten his dick wet before! "Umm on the way to the arena, can we stop at a Walgreens or something?"

"Of course my dear, but why?"

Her face went red. "Well – um – it's that time of the month for me…"

"Oh…OH!"

She looked so mortified and Mark had to smirk, trying not to laugh because the last thing he needed was a ragging, nagging, rampant woman he was shacked up with. "Do you have what you need for right now or shall he run down and get you something?" He offered, unable to remember if Anciana had packed any personal items of that nature.

As a man, he tended to not worry about the period thing because he didn't have one. However, he also accepted it was a fact of life for women. Sex while on the period… some women were grossed out by it, some just found it even more enjoyable.

"No, I have a couple left, but I don't want to run out and be SOL either. We can stop on the way or after the show, not a problem."

"Whenever is convenient for you, Anciana." Paul assured her softly, trying to ease the tension a bit and could see his Phenom agreed. "So, I heard through the grapevine you were practicing in the ring today with your…brother."

That made the smile return to her face. "Yeah. He offered, and I figured why the hell not. It might help jog some of my memories, if not all of them, since I was apparently hell-bent on nixing my family out of my life in order to become a wrestler."

She was driven, determined and stubborn, all quality Williams traits she didn't know she had. They were ingrained into her and not even amnesia could destroy that part of her. There was no way Taker could be alright with that scenario, his wife training with her twin brother. That was a catastrophe in the making and wouldn't go along with his Phenom's current plans for the twins.

"If that's what makes you happy, sweetheart, then go for it." Paul said, knowing Taker had to act the supporting role and pulled it off flawlessly.

"Of course, it'll probably only be temporary." Mark said, the bathroom door now open as he tugged on a t-shirt. "Once she's remembered what she already knew, if she wishes to pursue wrestling, she'll have to start working with the female trainers." At Anciana's puzzled look, he smiled gently. "If you really want to keep pushing with wrestling, darlin', you'll have to learn to put on matches and how to wrestle people your size. Austin can teach you a lot, but eventually, the size game comes into play. And… if Vince can reel you in, which is something I'm sure he'll attempt, he's going to insist on it for-"

"Financial and insurance reasons. Vince is a stingy bastard."

"Oh…right, that makes sense." Women didn't wrestle men one-on-one, not that she knew of anyway. "Well…maybe I should start training with a woman then instead of him because of my size." A few more training sessions with Steve to knock off the rust wouldn't hurt though. Besides, it gave her time to spend with him alone.

"That would be in your best interest." As well as Taker's.

"Vince approached me last night about being in the storyline with Mark and Steve, and I told him I'd do it, but…I don't know anymore. I'm still thinking it over."

Another Austin on television…lord help them all, especially if her memories didn't resurface, Paul thought, sharing a somewhat alarmed look with his Phenom. "Well just remember, things can get a little hectic in the ring and they both have…volatile characters." That was putting it mildly.

Anciana appreciated Bill's honestly and nodded to acknowledge she understood, pulling her socks and tennis shoes on.

"And of course, there is also another roadblock to this storyline…" Paul mused, drumming his fingers against his chin thoughtfully.

Mark was sitting in a chair now, pulling on his boots and raised his head, an eyebrow slowly raising. "And what might that be?" He already had a feeling he knew what was about to come out of the other man's mouth.

"Well, Vince can offer Anciana a job all he wants, but the storyline doesn't go anywhere unless you and Austin both commit to it." Quite frankly, Paul didn't see that happening, definitely not on Taker's end. This was already getting dicey; just how far would the Phenom let things roll?

"There is that." He agreed softly, looking back down as he began lacing up his boots, contemplating it.

"Then again, two incomes are better than one. Instead of me being on the road with you bored and stuck in the hotels, I could…help build our future together." Anciana pointed out, walking over to caress his shoulder until he looked up at her, those emerald stones once again searing her soul. "I would also hope my husband would be understanding and supportive in any decision I make."

She brushed her lips against his, wondering what was going through his mind and let him finish lacing his boots up. Something deep inside told her she would be in the storyline, even if Mark didn't approve of it or Steve for that matter. Paul sincerely hoped Taker could find a way to convince his wife NOT to be in this line, not wanting to see her get hurt…again. Austin through and through and a typical, manipulative woman to boot.

"I know you're not worried about money, Ciana, darlin'." He drawled, shaking his head in amusement. "We're set." Mark wasn't an idiot with his money. He had invested every spare penny he could, and it had started paying off this last year, seriously. If he had been concerned about money, paying her seriously expensive medical bills, after running her down, would have set him way back.

"I'll go get the car pulled around. Leave in 10?"

"That's fine."

"Actually, I am a little because I know, as well as you, that you can't do this forever. Eventually, you're going to retire, and we're married, so why can't I help financially? I'd be on the road with you all the time instead of stuck at home, missing you. You wouldn't have…temptations on the road either." Steve had planted some doubts into her head during their time together. "And since wrestling is apparently a desire and passion of mine, I'd be doing something I love."

She didn't realize he wanted her home with a bunch of kids and locked down, which wouldn't happen. Anciana had…issues when it came to kids and never wanted any of her own. Mark didn't know about her medical issues below the belt, but he would find out eventually.

"You can never be too careful is all I'm saying. And like I said, two incomes are better than one. I wouldn't mind making my own money and contributing to our life together either."

"Whoa darlin', hold up." Mark pulled Anciana into his arms, yanking her flush against him and stared intently down into her face. "First, I do want you with me, you just don't get to use the money excuse." He was on his way to being set for life as long as he didn't get stupid with his investments and always had a head for real-estate, so he didn't see that happening. "Retirement is a LONG way off for me, bank on that. I get you want to earn your own money. I respect that, Ciana. I'm not saying don't do this, I'm saying it's not as easy as Vince is going to make it out to be. He's a swine. I think that may be the one thing your brother and I would both agree on." Then, he bent down to kiss the corner of her mouth. "And what temptations? You're all I can handle. Where'd that even come from?"

"Have you seen all the women that flock to you?"

Anciana lost count how many women threw themselves at her husband on their way out of the hotel and outside of the arena. It was just one night, and she could tell he had a HUGE female following. She didn't know Mark used to be a HUGE playboy prior to running her over, which was a blessing for him.

"We're still getting to know each other all over again and…what happens if you find someone better? Someone who can make your every wish and desire come true? What if…I'm not the one you truly want? I know you love me and want me, but because of what you do for a living, there's always going to be temptation." He was a man and they tended not to think with the right head half the time. "You're gorgeous, Mark, and it does bother me a little how every woman wants you. Not that I blame them." That was an ego boost for him.

It clicked, Steve Austin had said something. Well granted, Mark had been a bit of a whore, but the simple fact was: he liked sex. However, since Anciana had come into his life, by force, he had been faithful to her because… well, he was playing a game and had wanted to cover all angles. Mark liked strategic thinking and he should have foreseen this. Though, he was mentally congratulating himself on not screwing around in a long time.

"Darlin', I married you for a reason." He said tenderly. "I haven't looked twice at another woman since meeting you." That was true. "You're mine, and there will be nobody else, trust in that."

The way he proclaimed she was his made her insides quake and Anciana didn't know why. Didn't every woman long to hear those words from their man? There was something in his eyes, something possessive and dark…it both melted and terrified her at the same time. His head dipped, capturing her mouth in an explosive kiss and Anciana instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling her feet leave the ground as her legs wrapped around his waist. Thankfully, she had shorts on and wore tampons, not a big fan of pads. They were far too messy.

"I don't want anyone else. Just you, handsome." She murmured against his lips, moaning when he kissed her again and both became lost in the moment.

"Good." He rumbled, perhaps a little darkly, but… she was his.

He had been her first, and he would be her last. Something about a woman's innocence tended to bring out some baser instincts in men and he was no exception. It helped that, so far, they were mostly compatible outside of the bedroom and she wasn't hard to look at by any means.

"Now come on, Ciana, before Paul comes back and interrupts us." Again, and the third time would not be lucky because he'd choke that cock block out with his bare hands. "You got everything you need, darlin'?" His tone had returned to normal.

"Yeah, I'm ready to go."

Anciana had her purse in hand with everything in it she needed and grabbed his hand, letting him guide her out of the room. She did not miss the dark baritone of his voice with that one word before it returned to his normal tone. That dark baritone he used on television as his Undertaker character. Maybe he was just riled up because they'd been interrupted, again, by Bill. That had to be it, she concluded in thought, stepping on the elevator with her husband to go down to the waiting car. A few minutes later, they were on their way to the arena with Anciana once again in the backseat while Mark took the passenger and Bill drove.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Paul was not used to playing chauffeur. Taker had been in the habit of driving himself. In nice weather, his motorcycle. In shitty weather, a truck. He was gathering this new 'service' he was providing, was due to the wife.

"You are licensed to drive, are you not?"

Mark could already see where this was going and pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. "You're the one who insisted on renting this, so you drive."

"It's a Cadillac!"

"Your age is showing, old man." Mark snorted, the snort turning to an outright chuckle when Paul began grumbling something under his breath, pretty sure he heard 'Elvis Presley' in there.

Why WAS Mark having them chauffeured around by Bill anyway? They were capable, mostly, of getting to the arena by themselves and Mark's media appearances. Bill was acting like Mark's personal assistant and it confused the hell out of Anciana. However, she did enjoy their arguing banter and found it amusing. It was like Bill was the father and Mark was his son. Something told her they didn't think of each other that way, but then again, she had read people wrong before. Drowning them out, she stared out the window and started thinking back to her training and everything Steve had told her.

* * *

" _I know I'm beatin' a dead horse with this, Anci, but ya gotta watch yer ass around Taker. He's not a good person, he's evil and he'll chew ya up and spit ya out, honey. I'm just lookin' out for ya. Temptation is on the road all the time and, if he knocks ya up and leaves ya at home with kids, don't think for a second, he won't take a whore to bed. Ya gotta protect yourself."_

" _You don't have to worry about the kid thing because I…can't have any."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _I mean I physically can't carry a child. I have something called endometriosis and…I get cysts on my ovaries. The endometriosis has made me sterile." Cameria had told her that one day while Mark had left the hospital room to make a phone call._

 _Steve had felt bad and hugged his twin tightly, wishing he'd never brought up children to her. "I'm sorry, Anci, I'm so sorry…"_

* * *

It was something Mark didn't know about her and she had made Cameria promise not to speak a word about it. Mark hadn't brought up the subject of having kids and, until he did, the secret would remain with her.

Probably a smart idea on her part, though eventually, it would bite her on the backside. Lying or withholding information was never a good idea, look at how she had gone off the ropes on him. He would, out of sheer spite, have returned the favor tenfold. As it was… Mark glanced over his shoulder, frowning when he saw the faraway look on Anciana's face and had to wonder what she was thinking. Sighing, he turned back around, ignoring the pointed look Paul had shot him.

"Just get us there, old man."

"You can handle your own driving from here on out."

"Anciana, how do you feel about motorcycles?"

Paul actually smacked Taker, none too gently, in the back of the head and shook his own, scowling. "She's got AMNESIA, or did you forget that part?!"

Anciana tried very hard not to laugh and failed, giggling. "I-I really don't know…if I've been on a motorcycle, I don't remember it."

Taker was losing his mind to ask the poor woman something like that. How the hell was she supposed to know anything about motorcycles?

"I mean, they look cool and…yeah, that's all I got."

She did not see Mark shooting his mentor a deathly glare and felt her pager go off, pulling it off her hip to check who it was. Cameria. She was finally returning Anciana's page and Anciana made a mental note to call her later tonight after the show if she wasn't too tired. Anciana had been out of that coma and with him long enough to know about motorcycles. If she didn't have an opinion on whether or not she was up for trying one out, she was obviously challenged.

"Good, we'll try you out on one." He said his tone at odds with the venom in his gaze as he stared down his nose at the fat little man, who was about to have HIS head put through a window.

Paul made a mental note to stay around people tonight, knowing if he was caught alone anytime soon, he was going to regret that slap.

"I mean, I know you have a collection in the garage, but other than that, I don't know if I've ever been on one. They look…interesting." Was that the right word to use?

Hell, she didn't know and felt ridiculous for not even knowing what it was like to be on a motorcycle. What she DIDN'T know was she had been on plenty of motorcycles throughout her life, thanks to her father. He was a huge motorcycle man and had his own collection in Victoria, Texas. Throughout her life, he had taken Anciana for several rides for Daddy and daughter time. Those were happier times…before she turned 16 and her drive and desire to become a professional wrestler had ripped her away from her family.

"I trust you, so any type of vehicle we're riding on or in, I'm fine with it."

Aware Paul had just shot him a look, Mark purposefully stuck his tongue out at him in a very childish display.

Shock itself made him nearly rear-end the vehicle ahead of them and Paul lurched forward, hitting his head on the visor he had flipped down to keep the sun out of his eyes. "You ass!" Though, it was both weird and… nice, he supposed, hearing the deep, real laughter from Taker. He wasn't sure the man could actually laugh like a proper person.

"We'll get my Harley off the truck tonight, darlin'." Mark snickered, glancing back at Anciana. "I promise to be gentle."

Why did that sound ominous? Anciana cracked a hesitant smile, worry flooding her eyes and felt a shiver rush down her spine at his deep, baritone laughter. She couldn't recall hearing Mark laugh like he currently was, the sound thundering throughout the vehicle. Thunder…that's exactly what it sounded like. It was…surprisingly sexy and she found her body responding to it.

"You can be as rough with me as you want, handsome." Leaning up, she bit into the side of his neck, nipping him lightly, and sat back in her seat, pretending like nothing happened.

"You'll wind up in another accident." Paul snorted, rubbing his forehead with one hand, the other navigating them into the Walgreens parking lot. "He's an asshole on those bikes."

The fat man was pushing his luck tonight, wasn't he? "I like to go fast." Was the simple explanation.

"And what happened the last time, hmm?"

"I've almost finished restoring her." That might've been a bit defensive on his part; Mark had taken a wet curve a little too fast and, fortunately for him, only the Harley had been damaged when it could've been him.

Paul almost volunteered to go inside with Anciana when she got out of the car, beginning to squirm. The moment she wasn't able to see them, he let out a yelp as he received a slap upside HIS head.

After grabbing tampons and Pamprin to help with cramps, Anciana put it on the counter and pulled out her husband's credit card, handing it to the cashier. The items were rung up without an issue and she walked out a few minutes later, slipping in the backseat. The cashier was kind enough to be discreet and double bagged her items, so even in the plastic bags, it couldn't be seen.

"Thanks for stopping, Bill." She smiled at him and leaned her head back, wondering if maybe she should've stayed at the hotel tonight to rest from her training session with Steve today. Maybe she could catch some sleep at the arena in her husband's dressing room.

For Mark, the rest of the drive was peaceful. He bet Paulie boy had one hell of a headache and that served the old man right. If not for Anciana, Paul would have never dared taken such a liberty. Sometimes, one just had to remind people there were still claws and danger. Once at the arena, he stepped out of the car and stretched his legs before helping his wife out, smiling down at her. He knew this was her first day of training, or back to it as it were, but her body had been on a 'break' of sorts since he had run her over.

"You look tired, Ciana. You do know you shouldn't push yourself every day, right, darlin'? You'll burn your body out." Baby steps until she became acclimatized.

"You're welcome." Paul replied in a mutter, his head killing him.

"I am tired, but it's okay. I'm…"

That lightning bolt effect shot right through her head as Anciana dropped to her knees, clutching her hair in her hands. Another vision, a flashback, a memory…it was a woman and a ring with her inside of it. She didn't recognize the woman, but could hear her voice.

* * *

" _Don't push yourself, Anciana. Take a few days to rest and then we can get back to it."_

" _No! I'm gonna prove my brother and family wrong! I'm gonna prove to them I can do this! I don't care what amount of pain and rejection I go through – I'm doing this, Sierra!"_

* * *

"Si…Sierra…" Anciana snapped her eyes open, tears pouring down her cheeks from the pain and shakily got to her feet. Sierra Martin…she remembered her. It was her old trainer back in Las Vegas! "I-I'm fine…Sierra…I need to call Sierra. I haven't talked to her in so long. She probably thinks I abandoned her and my training."

It was so strange how, with each memory that came back, a little piece of the old Anciana returned as well. Did Cameria know who Sierra was? She had to, they were roommates and told each other everything, according to Cameria.

"Who is Sierra, Anciana?"

"M-My old trainer…she trained me in the ring in Vegas. I…I remember her…I remember meeting her and being laughed at because of my size. I remember proving her wrong by coming back every day at 5 AM sharp in the morning and training until 5 to 6 PM at night." She started crying, the tears happy and she began laughing, ignoring her slightly throbbing head. "I remember, my memories…they're slowly returning…I'm getting them back…one at a time…"

Antagonizing each other aside, Mark and Paul exchanged looks. He could practically see the panicking going on in the fat man's head, giving a nearly imperceptible shake of his own. He needed to run her over again or something. Bringing Anciana on the road, around so many triggers, was just a bad idea all the way around.

"Sierra Martin… why does that name sound familiar?"

"She was that fighter who got mugged," Mark answered, remembering seeing her all over the news. "Part of that cage fighting scene, right?" He was mildly impressed, eyeing Anciana thoughtfully. "Sierra Martin trained you?" She had been a badass bitch. "Explains that armbar."

"Yeah, I found an ad in the newspaper one day, after getting fired from another job." She chuckled, slowly rising to her feet with Mark's help and blinked a few times, the memory disappearing, though it was etched in her head now. "I saw the ad and I could instantly remember grabbing the phone and calling the number. Then I made an appointment to go meet her and…she laughed me out of the gym. For the next month straight, every day at 5 AM, I showed up to the gym I knew she'd be at and bugged her. I cleaned the place from top to bottom, made sure the girls she was training had everything they needed – I was her lackey. Finally, one night, I stayed late and got in the ring and began running the ropes. I was determined, I didn't care what it took or what I had to go through. I was going to prove Stevie and my parents wrong. She saw me and told me I was doing it wrong, then got in the ring and started showing me how to do it right. I took off from there and trained with her for 5 years…" Sierra would probably shit bricks when she got a phone call from her old pupil, that was for sure. "I was supposed to meet up with her the day of the accident, or I should say night. I never made it…and I never called her either to explain what happened."

Cameria had taken the liberty to call Sierra and explained what happened, asking her to be patient. Sierra had agreed, telling Cameria to let Anciana know to call her whenever her memories returned if they did. She didn't bother telling Mark or Anciana because of the amnesia, but also didn't want her friend to be without a trainer once her memories DID come back.

"You'll have to introduce me, darlin'."

Mark draped his arm around Anciana's shoulders before dropping a kiss on the top of her head. He could practically feel the happiness and elation radiating off her at this memory. Well, the memory thing was progressing faster than he had anticipated; he was going to have to do something eventually if too many returned too fast. Mark had noticed she hadn't outright said she loved him, so he knew their bond wasn't on complete unshakable ground, not just yet. Anciana would wind up calling Cameria, it was just a matter of time. He was going to have to get his hands on Cammie first; something he had just been aching to do ever since meeting the banshee.

The tiredness was gone; Anciana left Mark at his locker room to go hunt her brother down, wanting to tell him the good news. She found him in catering and rushed up to him, crystalline eyes glowing.

"Please tell me you're not pregnant…" Steve immediately regretted saying that, groaning when she smacked him upside the head.

"No, you fool! Don't you remember our conversation from earlier today about that?" Anciana folded her arms in front of her chest, rolling her eyes at his sheepish smile. "I got some of my memories back."

Steve blinked, not expecting her to say that. "What were they?" Please tell me it was our parents and me, he silently prayed, taking his sister's hand to squeeze it.

"My trainer – well my old trainer, I should say. Her name is Sierra Martin and…"

Chyna, one of WWF's main Divas, overheard that and immediately stood up from the nearby table, her eyes wide. "Wait a minute, are you telling me not only are you Steve Austin's sister and the Undertaker's wife, but you trained under one of the best women fighters of our time?!"

Anciana nodded, blushing a little in embarrassment. "Yeah…"

"Austin, where have you been hiding this gem?! Oh my god, girl, I need details!" Chyna was as hyper and cheerful, the complete opposite of her in-ring character. "I'm Joanie, by the way."

She shook the woman's hand with a friendly smile. "Anciana."

"I'm calling you Ani for short."

Steve chuckled, seeing he had been completely taken out of the conversation and enjoyed watching his sister conversing with Chyna, who was built like a brick house, instead of being under the thumb of his nemesis.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Joanie Laurer was pretty psyched to find another female, who wasn't built like a supermodel and had trained under a badass at that. She herself had trained under Killer Kowalski, or Walt, to people who wanted to piss him off. She had struggled during her time here, having to deal with judgment about her looks and build, knowing she was a bit on the masculine side. It was all a work in progress, having surgery to fix all that on her schedule was a bitch and a half and had to be done in increments. Her jaw especially, it was messing up her teeth.

"I need details, you're really married to the Undertaker?" At Anciana's nod, she looked both intrigued and perturbed. "No shit?" That just seemed weird. She hadn't even known the Deadman was hitched… and to an Austin… even weirder.

"A lot of people are shocked by that and I don't know why."

Anciana laughed it off, though deep down she wondered why it was so shocking that he married her, of all people. She figured it had to do with his feud with Steve and their genuine hatred for each other. That was something they would have to get over, especially since they were brothers-in-law. They were family, whether they wanted to be or not.

"But yeah, we've been married for…" She trailed off, having to think about it and decided to say 8 months, although that was probably wrong. "8 months. Sorry, I had to count back. Brain fart."

Paul had been ordered to go track down Anciana and keep an eye on her, without her knowing it, not happy to find her sitting at a table in catering with Chyna. The Phenom would NOT like her making friends with others, that was for sure.

The simple fact of the matter was if he didn't allow Anciana to have a life outside of him, her red flags were going to raise. Knowing Steve, that asshole was probably already trying to raise them for his twin and Mark had to be the opposite of whatever poison Austin was feeding his sister. It was delicious, he mused, green eyes flashing with venom. Stone Cold Steve Austin was probably having inner meltdowns, knowing his precious twin was coming home every night with the Undertaker. It was mouthwatering. Chyna… well, that was interesting and Mark steepled his fingers together as he considered it.

"So, how long did you train with Sierra Martin?" Joanie asked, taking a bite of salad while Anciana had a chicken breast with a couple of sides, all semi-healthy food.

"Five years."

"Really?" Joanie gaped at her, a forkful of salad held in front of her with her own hand, but she couldn't take the bite yet. "Wow, 5 years? When did you start training?"

"About 6 years ago." Anciana went through the story of how she'd met Sierra Martin, which made Joanie laugh. "I left home when I was 16 and never stopped pursuing wrestling." There were A LOT of blanks because Steve had only told her about leaving home at age 16. He didn't know what she did after she left and Anciana wondered herself, hoping those memories resurfaced eventually.

"That is crazy." Joanie let out a low whistle, feeling respect for this woman who had gone through A LOT. She was 34 now, the same age as her brother, and had only started training 5-6 years ago, which would put her at age 28. What the hell did she do for the first 12 years after she left home? It was a huge time gap, but Joanie didn't feel right questioning her about it and left it alone. "Hey, if you need someone to train with, I'll do it, if you want." She was a woman and wrestled around with the other women of the company; some were a lot smaller than Anciana too.

When Anciana gave her a dubious look, Joanie began laughing. "I know, right? I'm built… like a guy." It was true, and she could admit it; that didn't mean she enjoyed hearing the comments from the actual men or the 'beautiful' women telling her she was a dyke. She was working on streamlining her physique, but changes like that didn't happen overnight. "But none of the guys want to fight me… they say it's not realistic or they just don't want to risk having their asses handed to them." Men were such bitches sometimes. The only men who were willing to actually work with her properly had been Shawn and Hunter. Even then, she wasn't facing them, only valeting and cheating on their behalf, which was amusing.

"I don't think you're manly looking though. Sure, you have a physique, but you're still a beautiful woman. And I wouldn't mind training with you at all." Anciana truly meant what she said, reaching over to pat Joanie's hand before pulling back to take a bite out of her food. Surprisingly, catering wasn't that bad at the house shows. "And if I can get Sierra to join me on the road for training, maybe she can even train with you as well."

Now Joanie was intrigued, her eyes wide. "Really? You think she'd come on the road to continue your training and give me the time of day?"

"I don't doubt it. Have you seen her? She kinda looks like you, physique wise, and she'd probably have a blast with you in the ring too. I tell you what, that woman taught me how to do submission moves I didn't even know were possible. You can slap them on both women AND men too."

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Ani."

"Don't let Joanie play you." Hunter, or Paul, had blatantly eavesdropped and he parked himself at the table, flashing Anciana a wide grin, popping his bubble gum. "She was trained by the BEST."

Same place he had been, and a lot of people had underestimated him, but the fact of the matter was, he was destined for greatness. It was just a matter of time. Joanie, if the other men would give her the time of day, would have wiped the mats with them, straight fact. She was strong, she knew how to wrestle, and she knew so many holds, it even impressed him.

"I'm Paul."

"This dork is my boyfriend." Joanie introduced with a slight smile, leaning into him briefly before straightening back up. "She trained under Sierra Martin."

"No shit, really?" Even Paul looked impressed, which was hard to do considering he was an in-ring general in the company and slowly working his way up the ladder.

"Yeah." She extended her hand to him, being polite and courteous, with a smile. "I'm Anciana. Anciana Calaway formerly Williams."

"She's an Austin – Steve Austin's twin sister."

Now Paul knew who she was. Everybody in the company knew who the rapidly infamous wife and sister of the Undertaker and Stone Cold was. She had been the talk of the locker room because it wasn't every day a woman came into the company and was linked to two of the top men they had on the roster.

"You're really married to Taker?" He had to ask, raising a brow when Joanie groaned out. "What?"

"Yes, I am. Is that really so unbelievable? Why is it shocking he's married?"

"Well honey, no offense, but your brother and Taker don't get along."

"At all."

"They wouldn't piss on each other if they were on fire."

"Hell, they've tried killing each other in the ring on more than one occasion."

"Right, remember their last encounter? Poor Steve had a concussion because Taker broke script on him…"

"He did?" Anciana felt her eyes widen at that revelation, wondering how Mark could be so sweet and kind to her, but ruthless and devious to her own flesh and blood. It made no sense to her.

Paul nodded, wondering how this woman did not know. It was Stone Cold Steve Austin and the Undertaker. "Seriously Ani – can I call you Ani? – how do you not know this?" Married and related… He bet those family get-togethers were awkward and violent.

"Sorry…" Joan said with an apologetic smile. "He's not so good at… well… he's obnoxious."

Paul frowned at his woman and then groaned. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude."

"I – um – I don't know because…well…I was in an accident 6 months ago. And it gave me amnesia. I've been gaining some of my memories back, like with Sierra Martin, but…for the most part, I don't remember anything from my past. That includes my brother and our family." Anciana lowered her head, feeling embarrassed and sheepish, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry to hear that…" Joanie smacked Paul upside the head before reaching out to squeeze Anciana's hand. "So, you don't know anything about the wrestling business or anything, do you?"

"Not really, no. I've watched some videotapes of Mark from 1990-1997 and that's when I stopped because…well…he came home off the road for a couple of weeks. Then I came on the road with him and…here we are." She moved the food around on her plate, her appetite gone for the moment because talking about the accident and her lost memories hurt emotionally and mentally.

Paul could only sit there rubbing the back of his head, trying to figure out what he had done to deserve that. He hadn't known she had amnesia; it wasn't exactly a situation people ran into every day, now was it? Scowling, he tugged a lock of Joanie's ebony hair.

"All right manhater, I'll leave you two be." He groaned when she slapped his ass on his way by as he headed off, shaking his head. "Not an object, Joanie."

"Keep telling yourself that."

Such an idiot, Mark thought, shaking his head as he ambled through catering, heading for the bottled waters in ice.

"Hey, jackass!"

Mark turned in time to duck the punch aimed for him, scowling.

Groaning upon seeing that, Anciana couldn't believe Steve had broken his promise to behave whenever she was around Mark. Granted, she wasn't sitting with Mark and hadn't noticed him walk in until Steve pulled that stunt. Sighing, Anciana excused herself to do damage control between her husband, who looked none too amused and her grinning twin.

"Steven…" Her voice held a tone of warning, followed by a head shake, standing in front of Mark to keep him from attacking. "You promised."

"Come on, Anci, ya weren't near him when I did it, so that don't count!"

Anciana pursed her lips tightly together and folded her arms in front of her chest, simply raising a slow brow, not saying a single word. She simply tilted her head, silently asking him if he was serious and her eyes clearly told him she wasn't amused with this.

"What's the matter, jackass? Gonna have my sister fight yer battles for you?!" He taunted, ignoring his twin sister for the moment.

"STEVEN!" Anciana really didn't want to do this, but her twin left her little choice. "Whether you like it or not, this is your BROTHER-IN-LAW and you WILL treat him with respect outside of the damn ring!"

All eyes in catering turned to stare at the little woman wedged between the Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

"Now, Anci, I'm glad yer here and all, but you gotta understand that some shit ain't gonna just be swept under a rug cause you say so." Steve argued patiently, though his icy gaze was locked on Taker. "Real life don't work that way, honey."

Mark snorted at that, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, his own piercing stare never leaving Austin. "You're going to have to get over it." He knew exactly why Steve had just tried nailing him. It probably had something to do with a comment he had made while passing the bald bitch.

"You promised me you wouldn't do anything to him when I'm around. Did you forget that?"

Mark was right; Steve had to get over the fact she was married to him because it wasn't changing. She wanted to be with her husband and felt herself falling for him, even though she hadn't admitted it yet. Anciana was waiting for the right time, but deep in her heart, she did love him. It was…conflicting in her brain because of her twin and her lost memories, but her heart belonged to him. How could it not after everything he'd done for her and made her feel?

"You hurt me every time you attack him. Save it for the ring, please."

"Get over it, I'm not gonna stop attackin' this sumbitch when he's runnin' his mouth and instigatin' me!"

"What are you talking about?"

Instigating? What the hell did that even mean? Mark was pretty sure Steve's brain was scrambled.

"Fuckin' shooting off at the mouth is what I mean!"

Mark arched an eyebrow. "And what was it I, ah… instigated?"

"Oh, you sumbitch!" He was going to break Taker's spine for real this time. "Move, Anci!"

Of course, she didn't and simply kept her place between them, but over her head, behind her back, Mark wiggled his eyebrows lewdly.

"MOVE, ANCIANA!"

Joanie noticed what Taker did and could see the steam rolling out of Steve's ears figuratively. He was about to blow his stack, sister or not, and she really did not want Anciana caught in the crossfire. Standing, Joanie rushed over to them and pulled her out of the way, two seconds before Steve tackled Mark to the floor. Anciana would've gotten hurt if not for being pulled to safety, so Joanie hoped she wasn't angry for intervening.

"Stop it! Both of you stop it!" She shouted, feeling Joanie holding her back by the upper arms and blinked, tears cascading down her cheeks.

Things were THIS bad backstage between them? Anciana didn't understand it and broke free of Joanie, mumbling an apology before rushing out of catering. She needed some fresh air and to reevaluate her time spent with her brother. Perhaps Mark was angrier about it than he let on and was keeping his feelings to himself. She didn't know anymore and didn't stop until she was outside, wrapping her arms around herself breathing in the night air.

Mark saw her take off, frowning. "Anciana!" He called, moving to step around Steve only to get that sucker punch.

"Stay the fuck away from my sister!"

Mark's response was to grab Steve about his waist, driving his shoulder into the shorter man's abdomen and spear him to the ground, with all his force behind it. Winded and a little jarred, he pushed himself upright, tossing his hair back behind his shoulders and simply stared down at his brother-in-law. "No." He said gravely, stepping over the other man, off to chase his wife.

Rasping for air, Steve managed to roll onto his side, taking the pressure off of his spine.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Why did they hate each other so much? What was it specifically about Mark that Steve hated with every fiber of his being and vice versa? Anciana felt like tearing her hair out, she was beyond frustrated and hurt because her brother had broken his promise to her. No wonder she had run away from home at age 16! Steve couldn't handle the fact his twin was no longer a teenager anymore and apparently hadn't learned a lesson losing her for 2 years shy of 2 decades. 18 years…18 long years and he didn't care if he hurt her or not by attacking her husband!

"I love him, why can't he understand that?" She whispered out to the silence, wiping her tears away and looked up at the night sky, a few clouds hovering over the moon temporarily.

All she needed was a sign, a hint, anything to tell her NOT to be with Mark, but so far, she had nothing except a loving, devoted husband that made her melt into a puddle. Speak, or in this case, think of the Devil and he shall appear. Mark hadn't even bothered asking, apparently he had one of those 'looks' on his face as he stalked down the hallways, looking for his wife because people were simply pointing the way. Sure enough, he spotted her and sighed, taking her in.

Anciana looked so lost and sad right now.

Then the clouds moved, and the moonlight shone down on her, illuminating her in a way the sun simply couldn't. She was bathed in darkness with that silvery light caressing her upturned face, and he found himself being pulled to her. Heavy footsteps sounded behind her and Anciana didn't even have to turn around to know who it was, to know it was her husband. The moonlight accented her wet cheeks as more tears flowed, his arms wrapping around her waist instantly. Turning, she buried her face in his chest and gripped the shirt he had on, her tears soaking through the front of it.

"W-Why does he hate you so much? I don't understand…" Anciana's voice was full of agony and confusion, wanting to understand the reasoning behind such bold, unbridled hatred. "What did you do to him or what did he do to you to escalate the hatred so much?" Now she was looking up at him through the darkness, searching his eyes. "Please Mark, please help me understand. He says you're evil and heartless and ruthless and you don't care who you hurt as long as you get what you want. I…I don't see that when I look at you because you've treated me like gold…"

"Why does there have to be a reason, darlin'?" He asked softly, shaking his head when he felt her body tensing. When he heard her cries again, Mark inwardly groaned, resting his head on top of hers, stroking her moonlit hair gently. "It's a series of reasons, Anciana." Because that was usually how it worked. "Your brother and I have competed in everything against each other since he got his shot."

It was all a fluke. Austin had botched his character when he had first come into the WWF and then, through sheer luck and a fluke, he had managed to become one of the fastest rising stars in the company. His 1996 King of the Ring win wasn't something that was supposed to happen, that had been meant for Hunter, and yet… here they were.

"Wait a minute…" Anciana slowly looked up at him and stepped back, the tears stopping. "Are you standing out here telling me you're…jealous of my brother's success? Because that's ridiculous, if that's the case." Mark had built a career in this company before Steve came along, that much she knew. "You two are attacking each other because you're competing? Why not be grown ass men and deal with your issues INSIDE THE RING instead of out of it where you can hurt innocent people? Why not be a little more professional about this feud and do your jobs correctly? You, of all people, should know better than this, Mark. How long have you been here? You two are acting like 5-year-olds and it needs to stop!" Now she was pissed, her face reddening and tightened her fists at her sides, looking nearly identical to Steve whenever he was enraged, her eyes nothing more than icicles.

How in the hell she had gotten him being jealous from what he'd said was beyond him, but then again… she was the twin of the largest pain in his ass of all time. On occasion, she tended to show him just how much like her brother she truly was with her assumptions and outbursts, it was childish. Seeing a grown woman berating him for something she assumed, for something she was putting into his mouth. Mark pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head as he began mentally counting backward.

"Tell me darlin'," He said quietly, his voice a low baritone. "How it goes from me being attacked by that imbecile, you call a twin, to me getting my ass reamed now?"

"It sure the hell sounds like you're jealous of him. You even said it yourself – you two are competing against each other since he got his shot. That means, you didn't get your shot, or you did, and it tanked."

Anciana raised a brow, knowing she had struck a nerve, or several, and refused to back down. She had nailed it; the company had invested in Mark at one point, it didn't work out, so they went to the next person and that was Steve. It made sense and…just ticked her off even more.

"You two need to get your egos in check. Because what you're doing, BOTH OF YOU, is unprofessional and irresponsible! You're setting a bad example to the rest of the crew and your coworkers – BOTH OF YOU. I'm blaming both of you because it takes two to create chaos the way you two do." And she'd only been here two freaking days to witness the chaos!

"Duly noted." He said flatly, then mockingly bowed to her. "If you'll excuse me, Ciana, darlin', I need to get back to work, make sure I don't tank anything."

Mark had been in this company since 1990, done some stupid bits and paid his dues just like most everyone else. He had put over other, less undeserving stars, and had remained steadfast when WCW started buying up the WWF talent with lures of better gigs, better pay and generally put company interests before his own. For this bitch to call him out for being jealous and petty, when she knew dick about anything other than she wanted to be where they all were, well… he had to walk away before he actually murdered her. Austin had gotten lucky: plain, period, simple. The man was talented, no doubt about it and could cut one hell of a promo, but along with his upshot had come the attitude and disrespect. Austin had been searching for his niche after that million-dollar Ringmaster character fiasco and found it. Turned out, that was just Steve Austin, a giant asshole.

"This isn't you. I don't know how I know it, but…you're bigger than this. And we're family, all 3 of us, and you knew that when you married me. You knew who my brother was, who my family was, and you STILL married me because you love me. I don't want you getting hurt and I don't want to see Steve hurt either. And I won't stick around and watch it happen, so I'm going back to the hotel. I'll see you later tonight." Maybe going home off the road was the right decision instead of getting involved in this storyline between them. It was obvious it would end in a bloodbath and Anciana couldn't bear to watch it unfold. "I love you too much to watch you get hurt or to see my brother get hurt by my husband. So, go on – go kill each other."

Bill had given her the keys to the car once they arrived at the arena because he had gotten his own rental, meaning what he said about Mark and her traveling by themselves from now on. Anciana didn't care about anything else at the moment and walked away from Mark, pulling the keys out on her way to the car. Mark could find his own way back to the hotel, she needed time alone…and to call Sierra.

All things considered, he should have gone after her, stopped her. However, the rage inside of him was at the point of potentially hurting Anciana and that was the last thing he wanted to do. For many reasons, none of which he was in any state of mind to explore. Then – then just as Anciana was sliding that key into the lock, it penetrated him what she had just said. She had said she loved him too much to watch him get hurt. She loved him. Before she could even open the door, he was there, gathering her up into his arms and kissing away the tears that streaked her face and still kept falling, kissing her over and over again.

Love made people do crazy things. She had verbally castrated her husband and he was kissing the breath out of her, making her mind whirl and her world spin off its axes. Anciana didn't mean to blurt out the confession, but she was so angry and emotional, it spilled out. She was hoping to wait for a better, more romantic, time to confess how she truly felt about Mark. The man who had saved her and brought her back to life, helping her any way he could. Slowly, her memories were returning, but Anciana still had a long way to go and something told her, she had to stay on the road with him. Being around Steve and wrestling again, it was jogging all the lost memories and slowly but surely, she was regaining her true self. It was all thanks to her husband – any woman would be insane not to fall in love with someone like that.

"Mark…" She mumbled against his mouth, pressing her body against his and felt him break the kiss, breathing heavily.

Not saying a word, he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her, setting her on the hood of Paul's Caddy. She was higher up this way. Inhaling deeply, he bent down to press his forehead to hers, brushing his nose along hers.

"Say it again, Anciana." He pleaded quietly, not ordering her, because he already knew his feisty wife wouldn't take kindly to it, after that blowout moments ago.

It was strange, how 10 seconds ago, he had been prepared to say screw it and choke the life out of her. Now, all he wanted to do was kiss her senseless. Her mind was still spinning and the fierceness from that kiss, the sheer fire, made her unable to speak at first. Say what again? It took her a minute to gather herself, along with her breathing returning to normal, before she could comprehend what he asked of her. Anciana knew exactly what he wanted her to repeat and felt her heart skip a beat, her stomach doing flips at the intensity in his emerald orbs. They weren't emeralds currently, more of a dark forest green gleaming under the moonlight.

"I…I love you, Mark. I was waiting for the right time to tell you and I ruined it by blurting it out like an idiot." She'd let her mouth run away with her, much like Steve did, whenever he was irate. "I've loved you for a while…maybe this entire time…and I wouldn't let myself believe it because I was scared." Her lost memories and feelings…it was a lot for one person to take in and Anciana had to sort herself out before she could even think about telling her husband those three words.

Scared of what? Food for thought at another time. "You know how long I've been waiting to hear you say those words?" He asked somewhat fiercely, caressing her face gently with his fingers. "To hear you say them again?" Because they had been 'together' prior to her accident and, for the first time since this whole thing had started, he felt something mildly bitter in the back of his throat. He swallowed it down and squished it quickly. "I love you, Anciana." He brushed his lips against hers. "Don't ever be scared with me, darlin'." That was probably inevitable, her eventually fearing him.

"I'm not scared of YOU. It's my…it's the amnesia. My lost memories and feelings…I didn't…trust myself, my feelings, because I didn't know if it was because you saved and protected me, took care of me. I didn't want to love you based on just that. I wanted to love you based on what we used to have." Anciana clarified, resting her forehead against his and kept a grip on his shirt, her eyes not leaving his. "I'll never fear you, Mark. I was just scared of my feelings for you and how fast they came about. I guess it happened that way the first time, huh?"

She had married him after one month of knowing each other, after all. He began chuckling, remembering the day they had that conversation about the therapists suggestion to roleplay as boyfriend and girlfriend, instead of forcing themselves to be husband and wife. Anciana had announced that to him and he had told her he had to make her fall in love with him, again. He had then proceeded to answer with 'cakewalk'. Mark smirked, lips curving when she sighed in exasperation.

"We'll get there, your memories, Ciana. And I'll be there with you every step of the way." As a help or a hindrance, it could go either way.

Honestly, it was in his best interest for Anciana to remain exactly as she was. It was probably in hers as well, he couldn't even begin to imagine the damage all of this would do to her, if she ever regained all her memories. The mental and emotional trauma would be massive. He considered that, considered her, wondering how far he was willing to risk this, risk her. Why the HELL was he even considering her emotional well-being anyway? That bitterness was back. He didn't like it at all.

"You've ruined me, Ciana." He whispered harshly.

She had no idea what that meant and didn't question it, suddenly feeling drained in all ways. Emotionally, mentally and physically. "You mean everything to me, Mark. I won't let anything or anyone, especially my brother, come between us. I will fight for you the same way you've fought for me, for us, even when I tried walking away from you because I was so fucked up from the amnesia. Steve can tell me anything he wants about you, it doesn't change how I feel. When I married you, it was a lifetime commitment. So, whatever obstacles stand in our way, whatever comes at us, we're going to blast through them all together." She caressed his face with her hand, those eyes once again piercing her and kissed him, pouring every ounce of feeling and love into it, gripping the back of his neck. "You're mine. You belong to me." It was the same words he said to her on more than one occasion. They were being tossed back at him because now she was possessive of him, love swirling through her crystalline eyes.

Well, that was interesting, what on earth was the deal between those two? It was obvious Anciana was in love with Taker, that was clear as day. Paul had noticed she had been struggling with it, the looks on her face when she thought nobody was watching, just tiny, minuscule things. But to see that look on the Phenom's face… either that man was the best actor that never was, or he was a fool.

"He's going to break every rule for her…" Paul sighed, shaking his head and figured he'd just sit back and enjoy the ride because, for the most part, that's all anyone could do at this point.

"You still heading back, darlin'?" Mark asked softly, reaching down to squeeze her hands. She had been leaving, to go back to the hotel. He didn't blame her. Her brother had come in acting a fool and in return, 'Taker had lost his temper. Not that he wasn't without reason, she had lost hers too. It was going to be an interesting ride for sure.

"Yeah I am, but I'll call a cab now that I'm not mad at you anymore." Anciana raised a brow when Mark stopped her, simply pushing the keys further into her palm and closed her fingers around them. "But you don't have a way back to the hotel…"

Mark gestured to the truck across the way, reminding her of the Harley Davidson he always took with him on the road. It was from his personal collection and only certain people within the company were allowed to touch it. His baby.

"Alright, as long as you have a way back." She softly brushed her lips against his and rubbed their noses together. "I love you." It was almost as if the fight never happened as Mark opened the door for her to slip behind the wheel, both promising to see each other later and a few minutes later, she drove off.

Anciana leaving was both kind of sad to see and yet… Mark was glad she had taken off. He waited until she had pulled out of the underground parking garage before heading back inside, beginning to crack his knuckles one by one. If Stone Cold Steve Austin so much as LOOKED at him wrong, he was going to send the Williams twin he didn't like straight to the ICU.

"How on earth do you manage all this?"

"Not having a soul helps."

"It also explains how you sleep so well at night."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"So, you finally decided to call your favorite trainer, eh? Got some of your memories back about me?"

"H-How did you…?"

Sierra chuckled, leaning against the ropes and plopped on her backside in the corner. "Cameria called and told me what happened…along with where you currently are. How are things going?" She knew better and had been given specific instructions NOT to mention the marriage to Mark Calaway being a sham. It was still hard to believe the Undertaker, of all people, had run her down accidentally.

"I'm great, actually. Well, great now that I remembered my trainer." Anciana tried making light of the situation and sighed into the phone, leaning her head back against the headboard. "I'm on the road with my husband right now. He works for the WWF, as I'm sure Cameria has told you, if she filled you in on everything. I want to start training again…and I was hoping you could come on the road to do it. Travel with us for a while until I get back into the swing of things. I know it's a lot to ask because you have your training going on in Vegas, but…I need you and I can't come to Vegas right now to train." She couldn't tell Sierra about the upcoming storyline she was doing on television with her husband and Steve. It was top secret within the company. "What do you say?"

Sierra had expected this and could hear the desperation in her pupil's voice, deciding she could use a vacation away from Vegas for a while. "Tell me the next town you're going to for the Fed and I'll be there to start your training, Cia."

Anciana gave her the information, promising to meet up and hung up the phone, feeling contentment wash over her.

* * *

"So, what do you think?"

"I think if you hit me again for a mistake, I'm going to divorce you."

"We're not married."

"Then can I have my balls back?" Hunter began laughing when Joanie shook her head, draping his arm around her shoulders as they watched the Undertaker VS Austin match on a monitor in a hallway backstage. "I don't know, Chy, it's crazy… Austin's twin and the Phenom's wife…" He spit out his gum in a nearby trash can, brows furrowing thoughtfully. "Nothing good is going to come of it, that's for damn sure. Those two are gonna tear this company apart."

"If they don't get each other first." She winced, watching as Taker tossed one of those lethal strikes of his at Austin's bald head. "Ouch…"

* * *

When Mark made it back to the hotel later that night, with a small black eye and a split lip, Anciana was fast asleep. She had on a black nightgown, silk, and her blonde hair was pooled all around her. The moment he joined her in bed, even while sleeping, she snuggled against him and sighed at the hot breath on her neck. It soothed and relaxed her, but didn't wake her up. She was too exhausted after the past two days and not even a foghorn blew in her ear would stir her.

The next morning, when she woke up and saw the damage on Mark's face, her heart shattered. It was just a house show and they had tried to kill each other. She could only imagine what Steve looked like and wanted to berate them for being stupid, but decided against it. It wasn't her place, especially after last night's blowout with Mark. She did not want to lose her husband over this business and refused to let it happen; they were grown men and could make their own decisions. Slipping from the bed, while Mark continued snoring, she left the room to go get him some ice for his face. He would be hurting today, that lip was swollen and bruised heavily. His eye didn't look any better either.

Steve was pretty cheerful, even with the 17 staples in his forehead and bruised ribs. Fuck Taker. His sister would just have to understand that some things were uncontrollable and not everyone would play the 'go along to get along' game, just for her comfort. The world did not revolve around Anciana, as much as she wanted it to, or as much as he wished it could. This was how it was. He knew Taker thought he was a belligerent dumbass hick and he thought Taker was an evil son of a bitch with a vindictive streak a mile. He bet Taker had never even bothered telling Anciana about one of the several reasons they couldn't tolerate each other. It was a woman, of course; all the best rivalries stemmed from women, because women were evil.

It was no surprise when she returned, Mark was up and in the bathroom. She set the ice down on the table, chewing her bottom lip contemplating if she should bother him or not. No just leave him be, she thought, pushing herself to sit back on the bed and turned the television on. They were leaving in a few hours, as soon as breakfast was consumed along with showering, to go home for 2 days off. Steve hadn't given her a time to go see their parents, so home it was. It would be nice to sleep in their own bed and be with her husband without any other distractions or people trying to drive a wedge between them.

Her twin brother came to mind. It wasn't that Anciana wanted the world to revolve around her, she just wanted the two men in her life to get along. Something told her it would never happen, which saddened her, but Anciana would have to deal with it. Her pager went off as she grabbed it off the nightstand to see who it was. Speak of the devil – her brother. Instead of calling him, she ignored it and flipped through the channels, not wanting to deal with Steve until they had to come back on the road Friday morning. It was Wednesday morning, currently.

"Thanks, darlin'." Mark held up the ice pack in acknowledgment when he came back out and spotted it, holding it to his lip. He and Austin had shredded each other last night, at a house show, and the fans had eaten it up. Sighing, he moved to lay out on the bed and stared at her, taking in her posture. Mark had a standing order for breakfast; it would be delivered soon enough, and he wasn't entirely sure he would be able to eat without biting down on his own swollen lip. He watched whatever it was she was watching, sighing when there was a knock on the door.

"Honey, it's rude not to return my pages." Steve was there, pushing the tray, the disgruntled bellboy walking down the hallway. He wheeled it in, shooting Taker a scowl and then smirked. "Nice lip."

He simply flipped Steve off and then reached for a pillow, covering his head with it, glad he had put on sweatpants at least.

"Yeah well, it's rude to…oh my god!" Anciana was up on her feet instantly, zeroing in on the huge white bandage on her brother's forehead and frowned. What the HELL did they do to each other last night?! "Are you okay?"

"Never better, Anci. Hey – HEY, what are you doin'?" Steve groaned when she pushed him down to sit on the bed, right by Taker's feet and sat on his lap in order to keep him in place. "It's just a couple stitches…"

"Stevie…" Anciana hated seeing her twin in any kind of pain and sighed, taking the bandage off in order to look closely at the damage. "Will it scar?"

"Hopefully."

"Mark, you're not helping!" Anciana growled, wishing he would at LEAST keep his mouth shut while her brother was in here. "That looks like it really hurts…"

"Nothin' I can't handle and if it scars, at least I don't have a fat lip I keep bitin' down on when I eat." Steve had done that on purpose, a malicious smirk curving his lips.

"Enough! That's it, I'm implementing an old-school rule between the two of you when I'm around. If you don't have anything nice to say to each other, don't say anything at all. I mean it." She smacked Steve on the arm when he began chuckling at her, eyes narrowing. Smacking him on the head wasn't an option, so arm it was. "I mean it, do NOT antagonize him and he'll do the same thing." Or she would make her husband suffer.

"Or what? You can't hold out on both of us, just hi- OW!" Steve had just gotten Taker's barefoot right in his back. It wasn't even hard, but he wasn't amused. "You touched me with yer fuckin' toes!"

"Quit provoking my wife."

"You know, I still don't understand that. How the fuck did you two wind up together? You knew who she was, and you still married her, even though you hate my guts."

Snorting, Mark sat up and moved to eyeball the breakfast tray, wondering what wasn't going to hurt to eat.

"Ya knew you'd have to deal with me." And rub it in his face, which Mark had done multiple times last night, hence the cafeteria incident.

"Because, unlike you, he doesn't revolve his choices around one specific person, dumbass." Anciana snorted, rising from his lap to pull on a robe, tying it tightly around her waist. She had on a spaghetti strapped knee-length silk nightgown and luckily kept her bra on the previous night due to exhaustion. "He married me because he loves me, and I love him. There are SOME things on this planet that don't involve you at all, Steven." Moving to her husband, she reached up to brush her lips very tenderly against his lip and looked back at her twin. "What did you want this early anyway?"

"Scrambled eggs and hot sauce." It was something he ate quite a bit, but he was sure the hot sauce was out of the question. Rumbling appreciatively at the attention, he wrapped an arm around Anciana's waist, drawing her into his side. "I ordered all this last night… might've been a bit much, darlin'."

In his defense, however, Mark had been starving after that brutal bout with Austin. Speaking of, he could practically feel the hostility radiating from the idiot, though he was smart enough not to even spare the less desirable Williams even a glance. Oh, that bastard… Steve was way too used to Taker's games to not realize what he was doing. So… he'd go with a new tactic. He could play dirty too.

"Fine, honey, fine. I'll try to be nice." Steve gruffly muttered, pushing himself to his feet. "And let bygones be bygones."

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"

"Brotherly hug."

Anciana laughed, hugging her brother and husband and had to wonder what suddenly made Steve have a change of heart. Whatever the reason, she was all for it and kissed his cheek along with Mark's. "You two are something else." She shoved Steve into Mark, making them accidentally hug and giggled before making a beeline for the bathroom. "Behave you two!" She called through the door, flipping the lock and proceeded to do her personal business.

Periods sucked, but at least she was having a more natural flow these days instead of constant spotting and cramping. This time around, she hardly had cramps, which was a blessing. Anciana couldn't remember the nights she'd stay up, curled in a fetal position, in so much pain she thought her ovaries would explode. Not in a good way either.

Steve had Mark wrapped in a bear hug, but the moment Anciana disappeared into that bathroom, all traces of amusement were gone.

"At the next house show, I'm going to knock your fuckin' head off." Mark muttered, a low whisper his wife wouldn't hear.

"Did you tell her about Jules yet?" Steve shot back, also in a whisper. He let out a muffled curse when he got a swift slight jab in the ribs.

"Did you?"

"I will."

"Have at it," Mark smirked, breaking the hold and shoved Austin away. "Doesn't change the fact that I'm fucking your sister."

Steve regretted that hug because when Anciana came back out, they had to keep pretending to play nice.

He planned on doing it right in front of Taker too, especially after that comment. "So, since you two are married, he ever tell you about Julia?"

"No…" Anciana eyeballed both men briefly before heading over to her bag, pulling out some clothes to change into. "Then again, if he did, hello amnesia." She tapped her skull to remind her brother she had no recollection of her time with Mark prior to the accident. "Who is she?"

"Answer the question first, MARK." Oh boy, did those eyes turn acidic in seconds. This would be easy as pie to get Taker to snap in front of his wife, no less, and over another woman. "Did you tell her about Julia before you ran her ass over?"

Now Anciana was staring at her husband expectantly, sheer confusion in her eyes. Another woman in the picture…she didn't know how to feel about that, especially when it came to her brother and husband.

Steve probably shouldn't have done that one because he was the jackass in that scenario. Mark's emerald eyes flashed pure venom as he stared at the other man. "Why the fuck would I tell her about Julia? That was 2 years ago."

"Andddddd?"

"And if I remember rightly…" Mark hesitated, realizing this could be a major turning point in his and Anciana's relationship, as well as her relationship with her brother. Steve had a drinking problem; it was common knowledge and Steve also couldn't keep a woman for the life of him. "Doesn't matter."

"Julia was my fiancée," Steve informed his sister. "Until this jackass decided he wanted her."

More like Julia hadn't been pleased with Steve slapping her silly and, in her rage and hurt… well, Mark had swooped in because Julia had been gorgeous, and he had been in a mood. Julia was now happily married to someone in Illinois, if he remembered correctly, with a baby. Steve hadn't remembered anything, naturally, and since, as far as he knew, had never laid hands on a woman again. Mark hadn't bothered with anything outside of a remark about Julia's incredible flexibility and blow job skills. An unfortunate side effect of screwing around with Austin's woman had been the very next day because he'd been seen with her and her bruised face. And guess who had been labeled the woman abuser?

"Again, before Ciana's time."

"And you bitch slapped her into the next year."

That was news to him.

"She said he got liquored up and…" Steve frowned, rubbing his head. "Don't you dare lay a hand on my sister. Everyone knows you got a temper, Calaway." At least his wasn't aimed at women. "She left a few days later."

Mark was going to kill his brother-in-law; in fact, his hand was clenching a knife.

In all honesty, Julia had provoked the ever-loving hell out of Steve. She had called him every name in the book because he had an actual crying fit over his long lost twin and she couldn't stomach the sight of a man bawling. She had made a remark about the twin she had never met and BAM. Bruised face. Black eye.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Wait, wait, just…hold on a second." Now Anciana's head was swimming, trying to make sense of this situation. "Okay so…Julia was engaged to my brother, but somehow wound up with you? And you abused her?"

"Yeah, I don't understand it either. I told you, he's evil and cruel, Anci."

"But she didn't wind up with either one of you. She's gone, and it was 2 years ago. I understand there's hurt feelings and egos, but…Mark has never, EVER laid a hand on me…"

"No, he just ran you over with a car." Steve reminded her bluntly, folding his arms in front of his chest.

"It was an accident…"

"That you know of."

"It was! He's been taking care of me and paid for all of my medical expenses!"

"To keep his ass in line and outta jail for vehicular manslaughter!"

Anciana opened her mouth to respond and tried to come up with a suitable response to her twin, but none came. "W-We got married after a month of knowing each other and…"

"Yeah, I looked into that too." This was something Taker didn't know. "I did a little investigatin' myself, made some phone calls and there is NO marriage license in the state of Nevada in your names. I don't even think yer married, to tell ya the truth, Anciana."

"Now you've lost your mind. Why would my best friend, not to mention the man I love, the man I MARRIED, lie to me?"

"Think about it, you have amnesia and it's the perfect cover story. Man hits woman, woman gets amnesia, man lies and lies and LIES to save his own ass!"

It wasn't true; it couldn't be true! "I know you're angry at him for what happened with Julia, but that gives you no right coming in here and accusing my husband of lying to me! Get out!"

"Anci, please…"

"I SAID GET THE FUCK OUT!" Grabbing a plate off the tray, she threw it at her brother as tears poured down her cheeks. "I'M HAPPY WITH HIM, DAMN IT! WE'RE HAPPY AND YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT! JUST GET THE FUCK OUT!" That temper…the same temper Steve had…just exploded all over the suite they were in.

"I'm sorry, Anci," Steve said quietly, though he had enough common sense to sidestep whatever she threw at him. "But you have to understand, honey, he's got a history with women. I don't want you to be next. Hell… come on, he HATES me, he runs you down and now you're married… you got to realize-" His sentence was cut short by a very irate Undertaker and he actually tried to swallow a lump, except he couldn't.

"She told you to get out." Mark whispered darkly, hand now wrapped around Austin's throat. Sheer rage coursed through him, for a lot of reasons. His strength was fueled by it and he raised Austin off the ground, squeezing, watching that bald head and face turn crimson.

"Yer." Rasp. "Usin'." Gasp. "Her."

Yes he was. "I love her." Also true. He dropped Steve, watching him collapse into a heap at his feet. "Get out."

Anciana was crying too hard to respond to her twin, feeling her heart aching with pain while her mind raced rapidly. Was it true? Had Mark lied to her? Her forgotten memories of them were the only true answer and, unfortunately, they hadn't come back yet. All she could do was curl up in a ball on the bed and cry, covering her face with her hands while Mark bodily tossed Steve out of their room. Just when things were going great for them, Steve had to come along and plant doubts in her head. Not to mention, Mark was a woman beater and stole her twin's love from him?

That wasn't the Mark she had grown to love…was it? What if it was all true and she'd been lied to? Would Cameria do that to her? Would Mark? She felt his hand on her shoulder and immediately moved away, not knowing what to think or believe anymore. There had to be a way to get her memories back…there had to be a way to unlock the rest of them and come hell or high water, she would do it. She would find the truth, no matter what.

"Please don't touch me right now."

If Anciana entertained the thought that her brother, her twin, was telling the truth, then she would have to ignore what several people had told her. Cameria. Him. Her doctors. She would have to accept it all as a giant lie and, honestly, that was ridiculous. As for the marriage license, he had to wonder about that because it had been signed and filed months ago. Well, more like slipped into the system. It was there.

"I never hit her, Anciana." Mark assured her, remembering that quite well. His reputation had been in tatters for the better part of a year. It had taken time and patience for that to eventually be brushed under the rug. "I slept with her, that's true, but I didn't harm her."

"I don't care about that. The only thing I care about is getting my memories back. I want my memories back and I want the truth. Everyone has told me what happened, but I don't know who to believe and who to trust. Cameria lied to me, and so did you, about knowing who my family is. You hit me with your car and claimed it was an accident, but you know who my brother is, and you hate his guts and I just…" Anciana was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown, especially after that blowup with her brother. What the hell was the point coming here and accusing Mark of lying to her? "I just need the truth." She whispered out, standing from the bed and wished she'd never come on the road with Mark. How could she be in love someone she didn't fully trust? Was that even possible? "I don't know what to do anymore…"

Sighing, Mark moved onto the bed with her, pulling Anciana into his arms and ignored her feeble struggles. "Trust in the fact I love you, Anciana." He whispered against the top of her head, his eyes open and unseeing as he tried to envision how this would play out. He needed everyone on board, minus Austin. It was tempting, revealing the truth about her twin to Ciana, but at the same time, he had no proof outside of Julia and that was an acquaintance he didn't care to rekindle.

"I know you love me…I know you do and I love you too. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't, but I don't think that's enough for me. I need my memories back to feel complete and whole again, to know the truth. I'm not me…I'm not Anciana without them and it's killing me not knowing who I really am." If he wanted to know what was on her mind and thinking so badly, she would tell him. Mark wouldn't like some of the things he heard, but at least she wasn't lying. "I only know little bits and pieces of my life and…I don't feel whole right now. I feel like I'm scattered, pieces of me, and it's not a good feeling. And now Steve is putting doubts into my head about everything, making me question shit. This is so confusing…I hate feeling like this…"

If only she could be happy and content the way things were now, Mark thought almost sadly. But no, that Williams stubborn streak was going to force her to push through until she either regained her memories or broke down completely. He supposed… if truth came to light, he did have a fallback and it was an honest one at that. The accident was ruled just that, an accident, and only two people knew the truth of the matter. What had happened afterwards, with the marriage, had all been on that idiot doctor and even Cameria knew that truth of that. At the time, Anciana's medical issues had been severe and the likelihood of her regaining her memories had been in serious doubt. This would work. Mark would make it work. Like it or not, memories or not, Anciana was his for better or for worse.

* * *

Over the next several weeks, Mark and Steve had begun building their feud…until Vince decided to throw a wrench in the mix. They were now the WWF tag team champions. Mark had snuck his way to the championship shot, with help from Kane, which Anciana STILL didn't understand that one. She still couldn't believe Vince had made the WWF champion, Steve, and the #1 contender for his title, Mark, WWF tag team champions. What the hell was the old man thinking? While Mark and Steve did their thing and were forced to work together as team, for the time being, Anciana focused her energy into training in the ring with Chyna throughout the weekend.

It was now Monday night, before Raw Is War, and she was outside waiting for Sierra to show up. After her small breakdown, Anciana decided to let the chips fall where they may and hadn't really spoken to her brother since the blowup. She loved her husband and Mark had spent their days off proving it to her, period or not. It was…weird having sex on her period, but somehow not so different and Mark didn't seem to mind or be grossed out. Luckily, she was done with it in time to reunite with Sierra and continue her training.

Vince was either the world's most underrated genius or the biggest asshole of all time. Sometimes, it was hard to tell. Putting him and Austin together as Tag Team champions, he was an asshole. And… a genius, Mark would admit grudgingly. It made for good television, the two enemies having to work together, and people would keep on wondering who would screw who first. His wife was trying to just roll with it, but… the turmoil in her head and her heart wasn't something so easily escaped.

Her trainer, Sierra, was coming tonight and Mark knew that because Sierra had sent him an invoice. Bitches didn't work for free and she was charging upfront. He could respect that. She was away from her gym, or her business, losing money just to come train one person. He'd pay whatever she wanted. Also, curiously, he wanted to meet her.

Of course, she didn't work for free! Who the hell could this day and age? However, Anciana was one of her dearest pupils and a friend, so she didn't charge nearly as much as she should've. She would be on the road for one month before having to go back to Vegas to resume her own training facility. A month break sounded like fun, especially when it was with the biggest wrestling organization in the country.

"Well, well, well, you're looking lively, kiddo!" Sierra crowed, walking up with her green and red dyed hair, cropped short in a pixie cut. They embraced, and Sierra pulled back, staring into Anciana's eyes that weren't full of the same fire and life she once remembered. Time to get both of those back. "You're not doing well."

Anciana couldn't lie to her and shook her head, a deep sadness instilled inside of her. "I'm hoping you can fix that. If I'm around you enough, maybe some of my memories will come back. That and I do want to continue my training."

"Understood. Lead the way then."

"She looks like a fucking Christmas tree." Paul commented when he spotted Sierra and Anciana. The last time he had seen Sierra had been on some Saturday morning show, discussing cage fighting and women in the sport, such as it was. That had been like a year ago and her head hadn't looked like that.

"She'd knock you on your ass."

"I might let her…" He grunted when he got Joanie's elbows in his gut, trying not to laugh. "Calm down, you know you're my one and only."

"You two dicks want to move?"

"That's not nice…"

"Neither was the chewed bubble gum in my trunks." Steve was considering stunning them both, on principal.

"Steven, be nice to my friends." Anciana ordered, arm in arm with Sierra and smiled at the look on Joanie's face. "Sie, this is Joanie, but you know her as…"

"Chyna. You kick ass in the ring, when they let you in it." Sierra was blunt and honest, sometimes brutally, and shook the built woman's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"And this is her fiancé…"

"Paul Levesque AKA Hunter Hearst Helmsley AKA Triple H." Sierra shook his hand next. "Pleasure to meet you too…and yes, my hair does look like Christmas." She laughed at his blush since his comment had been caught by her. "It's fine, I don't mind people critiquing my style."

Paul cleared his throat. "Sorry."

"And this bald-headed bigmouth is my twin brother…"

Now Sierra was shocked, staring at Steve for a minute and then looking at Anciana before looking back at him. "Holy shit, you are! You're not fucking with me! You two are really twins!" How the HELL had she missed THAT?

"Yeah…a lot of people are in disbelief over it and the fact I'm married to…"

"Me." Mark had arrived.

Hunter hadn't been wrong in his assessment. The woman looked like a Christmas tree. A weird ass Christmas tree. She was built, and he took note of her arms and muscular legs, having seen some of her matches. In person of course, women in cage fighting wasn't something that was mainstream. Hell, cage fighting was barely even making it right now; Mark figured eventually it would, he couldn't wait. When he stuck out his hand, he noted her grip was firm.

"And I know who you are, Calaway, seen you a time or two at some fights."

He inclined his head. "You have one hell of a punch."

"You do too."

Since she knew all about Anciana's situation, thanks to Cameria, Sierra didn't bother asking the obvious questions and stuck to being friendly.

"He shadow boxes to get ready for his matches." It was sexy to watch too; beautiful man candy and Mark was all hers. "Probably why he's one of the best strikers in the company today."

"I'll vouch for that."

"Me too." Steve added grudgingly, folding his arms in front of his chest. Why did Taker always have to interfere with him and his sister?

"Joanie, we were on our way to the ring to do some training, if you want to join us?"

"Really?"

"Hell yeah! The more the merrier, maybe I can show you how to do a proper armbar. Yours is a LITTLE rusty, Joans."

"Shit, don't I know it!" Joanie did not take exception to that because this woman knew what she was talking about. Anyone else would've had their head knocked off.

When Mark stopped her from walking away with Sierra and Joanie, she promised to catch up with them in a few minutes, turning to look up at her husband. "What is it? Everything okay?"

"Of course." Mark bent down, capturing her lips with his and smirked when she melted against him. "Go on, go have fun." Because that's what it was to her, not just training but fun. Anciana lived and breathed this.

When she left, that left him stuck between the Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin and it didn't take a genius to realize they were one wrong word away from beating the hell out of each other as they stared one another down. "Um… bye." Paul wasn't about to get caught in the middle of their issues. His nose was already too large; he didn't need it broken as well.

Steve snorted, looking Taker up and down, smirking before walking off. "See you later, _partner_."

Vince was definitely an ass.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"Your landing is spot-on and so is your arm bar. Good to know some things haven't left you."

"Yeah, I've been practicing with Joanie."

"That explains it then. Though, speaking of Joans, come here and let me show you what you're doing wrong with your arm bar application."

Anciana watched, learning the technique all over again and could see the difference between how Joanie and Sierra did it. There was definitely a skill to applying a simple wrestling move. Joanie applied hers to Sierra and then Sierra showed her what was wrong about the hold.

"See what I'm doing here?"

"Damn, yeah…" Joanie grunted out, understanding what she was doing wrong and then applied it correctly to Sierra.

"That's it. You feel that pressure? If you wrench a little more, you could pop my arm right out of socket."

That looked painful as Joanie released Sierra, watching her shake her arm out. "How about we spar for a bit and you can tell us what we need to work on?" She suggested, winking at Joanie, who was all for it. They had sparred before, so this would be fun.

Well that was rather insulting. Some worthless cage fighter with no future, because women simply did not participate in cage fights, telling his Ninth Wonder of the World she needed training… Vince rubbed his chin thoughtfully, those musings gone almost as quickly as they had come. Anciana… she was showing potential and tonight… tonight her husband and brother defended their Tag Team championships. It would be interesting, he began grinning, if they had someone to cheer them on. All he needed was one man to say yes. That was the beauty of them being Tag Team champions together. Vince only had to get one to say yes and he knew which man to approach. Whistling, he turned and disappeared backstage. He would go visit Austin since he was most likely to jump on this, just to spite Taker, whereas Taker had made it very clear he wasn't having Anciana in a line with them.

Once her training session with Sierra and Joanie was over with, Anciana made her way backstage, downing water and headed to her husband's dressing room. Sierra went with her because she didn't really know anybody else within the company. Joanie had to get ready for the show, promising to meet up with them for the next training session and thanked Sierra for helping her out. It was nice having someone on the road Anciana actually knew, instead of being surrounded by strangers, although Joanie had become a good friend over the course of the past several weeks. They were laughing, joking about one of their previous training sessions back in Vegas and walked into the room, both stopping at the sight of a very irate Mark.

"Umm…what's going on?" Both Steve and Vince were also here. This could NOT be good.

Mark clenched his teeth, knowing Anciana would probably jump on this chance and he didn't blame her. However, the fact that this was being done with or without everyone on board did not set well with him. Factor in the knowledge he and Steve were very likely to attempt killing each other again… for his wife to be front row center for that massacre also did not make the Phenom happy.

"These jackasses-"

"I'm offering you a job. Your brother has agreed to your participation in a storyline." Vince interrupted smoothly, beaming down at her. "For starters, you would valet them to the ring and, of course, be announced as wife and twin." Because that was the moneymaker, the beauty of this. "What do you think, Anciana?"

"Wait…I'm sorry…what?" Did Anciana hear this man, right? Was he actually offering her a job? Mark was NOT happy about this, for obvious reasons, and Steve looked happy as a clam. What the hell? "I – um…"

"Cia, this is a great opportunity for you to work with both your brother AND your husband! Girl, why aren't you jumping on this?! This is your dream, remember? Being out there in front of the crowd and doing your thing, even if it is valeting!"

"I understand that, but…"

"But what, honey? The offer not good enough for ya? Yer workin' side by side with Stone Cold Steve Austin, the baddest man on the planet and this jackass you claim is yer husband."

"I realize that, but…"

"Anciana, what is the problem here? What are you having an issue with? We can always resolve it, you know." Vince coerced with a friendly smile, though his eyes were flashing dollar signs.

"I know they're Tag Team champions NOW, but what happens when that's no longer the case and they're battling for the world title? Not to mention, they come out separately for their tag matches, and I can't valet both at the same time. So…who would I ultimately work closely with?"

Vince did not take that into consideration and cleared his throat. "That would be your choice…"

"So, you're offering me a job that's going to make me choose between my twin brother and my husband?!" This old man had lost his damn mind! "I can't do that!"

Even Sierra agreed with her – this really was a tight spot to be in, even if it was her dream job.

"She can come out with me, we're twins." Steve offered, pointing out the obvious. "Be real, Vince, do you really wanna give it away that the Undertaker isn't as… what is that shit you guys do, that supernatural, spooky crap? If he has a wife, it humanizes him."

"But then… she's just your sister."

"And I'm also yer top superstar at the moment, now ain't I?"

THIS was one of his biggest issues with this bald mother fucker. "Can't she take a night to at least think on it?" Mark was trying not to lose his mind because there were too many witnesses.

"What's to think about? Ani, this is your dream, honey. Ain't it?"

"I…I…"

Why did she have to be stuck in the middle like this? It wasn't fair! Wasn't she going through enough?! And now Vince McMahon wanted her to be her brother's valet in this feud against her own husband, the man she loved?!

"She needs a night." Sierra could see how badly this was tearing her pupil up and refused to watch it happen a second longer. "I mean it, back off. Both of you." She did not work for the company, she worked for Mark Calaway, technically, since he was writing her checks. Honestly though, pressuring a woman who had amnesia and was working through emotional and mental trauma on a daily basis was despicable. "Take the night and think it over, Cia."

"You will have my answer in the morning, Mr. McMahon…Steven." She was so angry with her brother right now, not believing what he was trying to pull. "And from now on, I'd appreciate it if you came directly to me with offers instead of my brother." Needing a minute alone, she stormed into the bathroom connected to her husband's dressing room and slammed the door shut with authority.

"Assholes." Sierra shook her head in disappointment and could tell Mark was on the verge of losing his temper. "You two better go before he blows his top and, right now, I wouldn't fucking blame him." Vince McMahon was a ruthless cocksucker. Steve Austin was no better either.

"Oh fuck you…" Steve growled, taking in the Christmas tree broad angrily. "If you were her trainer, then you know damn well this is all she ever wanted. She wanted it bad enough to say fuck you to her family and leave us."

"Austin…"

"Fuck you too, Calaway, you don't even KNOW Anci. All you know is what you lie to her about, tellin' her bullshit stories about a past ya don't fuckin' have. I heard you out in that hallway, you two know each other, don't ya?"

Steve was reaching levels of paranoid even Paul didn't descend to and that man was paranoid about everything. The bald-headed bastard was also seriously pushing his luck and not just with Mark. He noticed Sierra was starting to turn as red as part of her hair.

"Austin…"

"You both can kiss-" Steve let out a curse of pain when Sierra Martin delivered a punch to his jaw that sent him backwards on his backside. Mark wasn't even angry anymore. "Damn." He held out a fist. "You're a bad bitch." It was said as a compliment.

She bumped her fist to his. "Don't I know it."

Even Vince was floored by the amount of velocity behind that punch and he immediately held his hands up in surrender. "Just have Anciana call me in the morning with her decision, Mark." He scurried out of there before he got his ass handed to him next by the woman. No wonder she was a cage fighter – the woman could fight!

"Same here…" Steve stumbled out of the room holding his jaw, really hoping she didn't break it.

"I never thought I'd see the day I met both Vince McMahon and Steve Austin and called them both assholes. What ASSHOLES!" Sierra reiterated, sounding in disbelief and looked toward the bathroom door, frowning. "She's been through a lot, hasn't she?" Mark nodded in agreement. "I know what you did to her. I'm not gonna say anything because I know this is what's best right now. I just hope, when her memories do return, she doesn't end up in worse shape than she is now, Calaway." She kept her voice low and quiet to where only he could hear her. "Go check on her. She needs you right now, I think."

"Now, if you know everything, you know damn well I did what I did because…" Mark frowned, raking a hand through his hair as he considered Sierra. "At the time, nobody knew how bad it was going to be. Cameria wasn't in any place to care for her, and I… well, I'm the one who did it, so I was the one who should see to her." He hadn't exactly counted on winding up here, with Anciana, in this type of position. Mark had factored in everything except his own stupidity. "Mind you, I still think her doctor was on drugs for even suggesting it… and I was too apparently for agreeing."

"Do you love her?"

"Most of the time," He smiled wryly. "She's got her moments."

"I bet you do too. Go check on her and, by the way… I changed my mind, I'm charging you full price."

When the bathroom door opened, Anciana was sitting against the farthest wall with her knees drawn up and her face buried in them, her arms wrapped around them as well. She didn't know what to do, feeling completely torn in half at this job offer. On one hand – it was her dream job and something she'd worked a lot of years to achieve. On the other hand – Mark was her husband and she felt like she would betray him by going out to the ring to valet her twin brother. They hated each other on top of it!

It was bad enough to watch them destroy each other from the back on a monitor, but to actually experience live and up close? Anciana didn't know if her emotional well-being could handle it. She didn't want to witness two of the most important men – the only men currently – in her life destroy each other. She slowly looked up when a hand rested on her shoulder and stared into deep green eyes full of concern and love for her. What was going through Mark's head about this situation?

"Whatever you do decide, I'll back you, Ciana." He assured her softly, dropping down into a crouch before her. "But you don't have to make this decision now."

Mark hoped Sierra had broken Austin's jaw for pushing this on her. He had flat out told Vince no chance, Anciana was just now discovering what she already knew, but without proper training that was current, she was in danger out near that ring. Not to mention him and Steve, there was only so much Mark could tolerate before he eventually lost his temper and beat the other man down, in front of his wife completely optional.

"What do YOU want, Anciana? Don't… don't think about me and Steve, just… this is you. What do YOU want?"

"I don't want to be against you, I know that much." Anciana slid her hand up his strong arm, needing to feel him physically because it calmed her down. "But…Steve made a good point about your character. I don't want to ruin your character's credibility, Mark. And having a woman out there with the Undertaker…I just don't think that's a good idea. It's not that I don't want to be out there with you, because I do, but…I just wish there was some way we could have it both ways…" Sighing, Anciana leaned back and looked down at her clasped hands in her lap. "I mean unless the Undertaker goes after Steve Austin's twin sister on-screen…" That hadn't meant to be said aloud, but it came out nevertheless.

Mark considered that, while caressing her back, finally nodding. "It's about the only way to have you in the line without destroying the Undertaker's credibility." He agreed solemnly, drawing back in order to pull her up onto her feet. "And, it would give Vince the clean break he was hoping for, instead of us just saying fuck it and turning on each other, when our reign as Tag Team champions ends."

The Undertaker… using Stone Cold Steve Austin's sister against him, hunting her to hurt him… that sounded so familiar. Only now, it would be on-screen for the company's storyline instead of actual real life. Not that Anciana was aware of Mark's true intentions with her to begin with.

"You have to promise me something." She grabbed his hands and squeezed them, her crystalline eyes lining with fresh tears she refused to let fall. "P-Promise me this doesn't change anything between us. Promise me our marriage won't go to hell if I decide to do this. I love you, and I'm not about to risk losing you over a stupid storyline for this company or my brother or Vince McMahon himself. What happens in the ring does not reflect on our marriage and personal life." If he couldn't promise her that much, she wasn't doing this.

"I have too much to lose, Anciana, to mess this up, don't you understand that?" He pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes as he inhaled her scent. "You have the night to think on it, and we can talk more at the hotel."

If she did this, Anciana would have to understand some things about his character; how out there, on camera, she would not be his wife. He wasn't risking hurting her feelings over work, so they had to be on the same page. When she seemed confused, Mark smiled, not even having to open his eyes to see it, he could sense it.

"You, darlin', you're what I have to lose."

"I mean that much to you?" Anciana cracked a smile, sliding her fingers through his hair and watched him nod before capturing her mouth in a burning kiss that curled her toes. She would think about nothing except the offer and wouldn't give Vince her answer until tomorrow, just as she said. "I'm okay now. We can talk more about this tonight at the hotel." She had read his mind without realizing it and pecked his lips again. "You need to get ready for the show."

Tomorrow night was Raw Is War, tonight was just a house show, thankfully, so it sounded like Vince wanted to kick off her part of the storyline on national television. One would think he'd want to test it out and see how the fans reacted, but Raw Is War had far more people than house shows, usually. They walked out of the bathroom and Anciana wasn't surprised to see Sierra had taken off. There was no reason for her to stick around since the training was done for the night.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

She sat down on the bench and watched him start to shadowbox, thoroughly enjoying the eye candy her delicious husband presented. His mind was on Sierra as well, smirking as he remembered in extraordinary detail how she had knocked Stone Cold Steve Austin on his punk ass. That woman… firebrand, he loved it. For now. That was always subject to change. Glancing over his shoulder, Mark spotted Anciana staring at him and shook his head.

"Come here." He ordered, gesturing her to him. When she was close enough, he pulled her to stand before him, turning her around so her back was to his chest and took her arms in his, showing her how to position herself. "Like this, darlin'." Mark murmured in her ear, letting her feel her shoulders roll as he began moving her arms, feeling her quickly picking it up.

One thing about Anciana was she picked things up very quickly. It only took her a few tries before she had a move down to a science. Even when she was a kid, she absorbed knowledge in school and did far better than Steve, graduating with top honors. Steve passed with a C average, but she was the brainiac between the two of them. Before long, they were shadowboxing side by side together, keeping enough distance so one didn't nail the other. Her fists flew like his as beads of sweat formed on their bodies; shadowboxing was no joke and a full-blown workout in itself. It really worked the hands, arms, shoulders and upper body in general. Mark called for a break, his body warmed up for the tag match he'd have with Steve against D-Generation-X.

"Thanks, handsome." She grinned, downing half her water and cooled off after that intense impromptu workout. "What made you decide to do shadowboxing for a pre-match warmup?"

"It gives me something to focus on, darlin'." Mark replied truthfully, considering it as he reached for his water bottle, taking a long pull from it before holding it out, offering it to her. He grinned down at her, taking in the perspiration that coated her. Wait until he started showing her the footwork that accompanied the shadowboxing. "It works out my upper body and, when you incorporate other things into it, it works out the legs." Not to mention, his punch could be lethal, so… that helped. "Also, I like boxing and mixed martial arts, but I'm not built for it." Not to mention he would probably wind up with shredded ligaments. "But some things, I can work in with the wrestling."

"Thank you for showing and teaching me your technique. I understand now why you do certain moves in the ring."

Mark was an incredible performer and wrestled unlike any big man she'd seen before. To her vague, small memory anyway. The way he moved in the ring with his quick footwork and then flying through the air, at 325 pounds, was incredible to witness. Anciana handed his water back to him, having finished hers already and kissed his upper bicep.

"I definitely need a shower now." After her training session with Sierra and Joanie and then shadowboxing with her husband…yes, a shower was definitely in order. "Do you need anything from me before I go clean myself up?"

That was an offer, if he ever heard one, and Mark spared a glance at the time. He had a bit of time to spare. Smirking, he scooped her up and draped her over his shoulder, bringing a massive hand down to palm her luscious backside.

"I can think of a thing or two, darlin'."

Carting her towards the attached bathroom with the shower, Mark grabbed his bag on the way. She had a pouch on the side devoted to her toiletries and, if anyone ever found out the Undertaker was carting around scented body washes and tampons, he'd destroy them. They washed each other and teased with kisses and touching, but Anciana refused to have sex with him at the arena. He had a match tonight and she didn't want his legs turning to jelly on him halfway through. Once they were back at the hotel, then he could have his wicked way with her and she teased him with that fact, making him growl.

Just because he couldn't have sex with her didn't mean she'd allow him to go to the ring with a hard-on. Anciana dropped to her knees and pleasured him with her mouth, teeth and tongue, swallowing him whole when he climaxed. Then she gave him a few minutes in the cold shower sprays to cool himself down while drying herself off, feeling like a proud wife for taking care of her husband in his time of need. Chuckling, she stepped out into the dressing room area to slip on her clothes and glanced at the clock, knowing Mark had to hurry up or else he'd miss his match.

He had, hands down, the best wife ever. It was doubly brilliant because he was the only man she had ever been with. Mark smirked at that as he stepped out of the shower, shaking water off him vigorously before reaching for the towel. Now to keep the satisfied look off his face during his match tonight, knowing he could needle this on Austin, if he so wanted. When he came out of the bathroom, Mark was ready to go, including eyeliner and he flashed her a grin.

"As great as that was, darlin', now I feel like an asshole…" Because she hadn't gotten hers and he'd have to rectify that.

"You're not an asshole. Why would you say that?" Mark voiced what he was thinking, and she felt her cheeks grow hot, lowering her eyes from him. "It doesn't ALWAYS have to be reciprocated." Although, it was good to know he felt bad for not pleasuring her in return. "I already told you, later tonight at the hotel, you can have your wicked way with me. That includes foreplay."

Anciana winked at him with another chuckle and pulled a book out of his bag to read since she had downtime until it was time to head back to the hotel. She would be watching her husband's match, as always. And why the hell did he look hotter with eyeliner on? Anciana needed her head examined, maybe even a CT scan performed. No she didn't, she was perfectly normal and not the only woman to find his guyliner insanely attractive. Mark was not every woman's cup of tea, but he also knew his looks and the darkness persona he portrayed appealed to many. He shook his head, shoving his drying hair back behind his shoulders and then trolled them, rolling his head from side to side as well.

"All right, darlin'."

Mark walked over to the table, picking up his Tag Team championship belt and draped it over his shoulder. Gold of any kind was technically good to carry, though he had his sights on the top belt again, knowing eventually Vince was going to have to suck it up and let him have his shot. He was owed at least that much.

"I'll be back." He flashed her a quick smile before walking out the door.

As soon as that door shut behind him, the smile fell.

* * *

A delicious ache between her thighs woke Anciana up the following morning, her naked form half covered by a white sheet. Her body was halfway sprawled over her husband's chest after a night full of passion and lovemaking. Slowly opening her eyes, Anciana looked up at the sleeping peaceful face of her husband and snuggled against him, sighing in contentment. His arm instantly tightened around her, hand caressing her bare back and slid all the way down to grab a handful of her backside. Anciana purred, nuzzling his chest and Mark pulled her fully on top of him, their bodies aligned together perfectly.

"Didn't get enough last night?"

Not a lot of talking was done besides dirty, not that Anciana had any complaints because she didn't. Slowly, she began rubbing her pussy against his soft cock and could feel it rising to the occasion, doing whatever came naturally to her. Just as she began picking up the pace, getting herself off on her husband, a knock sounded at their hotel door.

"Housekeepin'!"

Anciana was going to STRANGLE her twin brother.

In a total dick, petty retaliatory move, Mark gently rolled her off of him before getting out of the bed. He was hard as a rock now, thanks to his lovely wife's teasing and he opened that door bare-assed, erection up and saluting, naked. "Unless you got towels, fuck off."

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?"

Mark slammed the door in Austin's cherry-red face, turning to cock an eyebrow at his wife. He was going to assume bitch boy was here to discuss Anciana's decision, which they had never reached because they had gotten distracted. "He's all yours, darlin'."

He was going to need bleach. Steve was going to purposefully go blind just so he could burn that image out of his retinas. Nobody ever needed to see the Undertaker's pasty ass naked, or his junk… He groaned, rubbing his eyes hard enough to give him double vision. When the door opened again, he didn't uncover them, afraid to look.

Mark wasn't the one who had opened the door this time, he had said pasty ass aimed at the door, however, busy sliding on his pajama bottoms. Served the idiot right. How the hell had he known what room they were in anyway?

"How's the jaw?" He called over his shoulder.

Bruised, actually.

Anciana should've laughed at her brother's disgust and disgruntled nature, but honestly, she was too irritated at being interrupted while trying to get a morning quickie from her husband. She wanted to belt Steve in the face and her expression showed it, having just a robe on. Her blonde hair had a haphazard style from the countless hours of lovemaking with her husband and she had a freshly fucked glow about her.

"What the hell are you doing here at 7 AM, Steven?" Anciana demanded, showcasing just how annoyed she was and folded her arms in front of her chest tightly. "You've got 5 seconds to tell me or I'm kicking the shit out of you." And she MEANT it too.

"Uh, because we were supposed to discuss your decision this morning, weren't we?"

Steve was staring very pointedly in her face, refusing to acknowledge the whole freshly fucked glow she had going on. That was disgusting and, from the expression on her face, he was guessing they hadn't talked about it at all. Dressed in just black bottoms that hung low on his hips, Mark walked back over to drape his arm around his wife's shoulder, squeezing her into his side.

"We can do that now." He offered, trying not to let the amusement shine through in his tone.

Steve wasn't sure he wanted to go into that room, it probably stank like sex and dead people.

Believe it or not, she had thought a lot about this decision and decided to go through with it. Mark didn't know her decision yet, however, due to distractions that she did not mind having. Sighing resignedly, Anciana nodded and opened the door wider for her brother to step inside, shutting it behind him. The room did NOT smell like sex and dead people because they were a lot cleanlier than that. While she pulled her robe on, she sprayed some air freshener just to make sure it didn't smell bad. Hell, she thought the smell of her and Mark's sex was incredible, but Steve wouldn't think the same way.

"I've thought about it and…if we're doing this, we're doing this my and Mark's way. You were right about his character losing credibility if I valet him to the ring. That wouldn't look good for the Undertaker. So, I agree that I should valet my brother to the ring for his matches. However…since you two are feuding, I came up with the idea to have the Undertaker mess with Steve Austin's twin sister, to get in his head. Mind games. It'll fit his image a lot better and won't take anything away from the Austin character either. So, if you agree to those terms, then I'll do it."

Since the walking dead over there didn't look surprised by any of this, Steve was guessing this wasn't news to him. Maybe they had talked some… His eyes narrowed. "Okay… what's the catch?"

"No catch. But the Undertaker isn't one to have a female, now is he? You yourself mentioned that last night. But… Austin's twin…" Mark half-grinned, half-sneered. "The Undertaker would target her, just to torment him, you." Been there, done that, got the ring on his finger to prove it.

Steve seemed to be thinking along those lines as well, his eyes narrowing.

Mark was ANYTHING but the walking dead – in fact, he was very much alive, willing and able to satisfy his wife. "Just as he said, no catch, but things are done OUR way." Such as whatever her and Mark came up with regarding their characters would happen, whether Steve approved of them or not. "As long as you have me, your twin sister, as your valet, that's all you need to worry about, brother dear." Since Steve wanted to stick his nose in her professional life, Anciana planned on making him EAT his words before all was said and done. "So, now the ball is in your court."

Hearing Anciana cutting into Steve -and that was exactly what she was doing, whether she meant to or not- was bringing a smile to Mark's face and potentially giving him another hard-on.

"Fine by me." Steve shrugged, trying not to pay attention to the wicked smirk on Taker's face. "I can tell you right now, if you even think for one minute he's gonna romance you on-screen, you're dead wrong, sis."

"I'm not romancing her on-screen." It went against his character and Mark wasn't destroying that for her. "What I do to her off-screen, however…"

Steve was purposefully being baited now, eyes narrowing.

"I don't expect the Undertaker to romance any woman. I expect him to possess her and use her against Steve Austin, her twin brother."

Anciana knew what she was signing up for and part of her looked forward to seeing the other side of Mark…the darker side of him. The other half. His alter-ego. Ever since he'd brought her back to Texas to mend and heal, Anciana only saw Mark Calaway's good side, but she wanted to see his dark, evil counterpart now.

"And what he does to me behind closed doors is nobody's business except ours." His arms wrapped around her, pulling her back against him and Anciana leaned her head against his chest, smiling. "And don't worry about my acting skills either – Sierra trained me well and made me take a couple acting classes during my training with her." Those memories had returned when she remembered who Sierra was.

"Vince is still likely to make you take a few anyway." Mark warned her mildly, already knowing Vince McMahon wasn't about to take an amnesiac's word on something that had happened months ago, or years. "And… you may not still love me when I'm acting like the Undertaker."

It wasn't an act. Steve was trying not to show his agitation, pretty sure a vein in his bald head was throbbing visibly. "You gonna be able to act afraid of him, honey?" He asked finally, when he was able to speak in a calm tone of voice.

"Only one way to find out and that's to go out there tonight and see what happens."

Anciana was confident in her ability to act, contrary to what the men in her life thought. She would have to prove it to them, plain and simple. Sierra had taught her well and knew one of the best acting coaches in the country, where he currently resided in Vegas.

"I'm prepared for whatever happens. I've thought long and hard about this and I'll do my best not to make both of you look bad out there."

It also meant, for the foreseeable future, she would not be able to travel out in the open with her husband or wear her wedding ring in public. She would talk to Mark about it once Steve left. It wasn't a conversation he needed to be part of.

"I will call Vince, so don't worry your bald head about that."


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"Shit, Vince is already setting everything up for you to sign on."

Once Vince had gotten out of range of Sierra's fists of fury, as well as the Undertaker's building rage, he had begun having paperwork drawn up, knowing Anciana would say yes. Anyone who invested that much of their life into just trying to get a foot in the door was obviously going to jump through that door when it opened. None of that was surprising. Mark shrugged when Anciana looked up at him, yawning and stepped away from her. Since they obviously weren't going to continue on with their sexual activities, and he was also a man, his mind moved to the best next option: food.

"I figured as much." Anciana wasn't surprised either, though she would make a call to Vince since she said she would. It wouldn't be a long conversation, she didn't think anyway. "If you're not joining us for breakfast…"

"Anci…" Steve sighed, stopping his twin from walking away and pulled her into his arms, hugging her close. "I'm sorry for…everythin'. I don't wanna fight with ya. Can we just…can you just forgive yer rat bastard of a brother and call it a day?"

"That depends, are you going to continue insulting my husband and questioning our marriage?"

Steve groaned, knowing the only way out of the doghouse with his sister was to play ball and tell her what she wanted to hear. "Fine – fine, I won't mention anythin' about it again." He glared over at Mark and promptly flipped him the bird. This was all because of him and Steve STILL didn't buy for a second his sister had a whirlwind romance with this lunatic.

"Flip him off all you want, it doesn't bother him." Anciana winked over her shoulder at her husband, who waved her off dismissively. "Mention our marriage again in a disrespectful way and you'll be dislodging your balls from your throat. We clear?"

"Crystal."

Mark listened to them while at the same time ordering up breakfast, including plenty of coffee because neither he nor Anciana had gotten much in the way of sleep. There was definitely going to be a nap today before tonight's RAW, thank god they weren't traveling until tomorrow. Well, he was hoping there was a nap in their future. Mark had a feeling as soon as Anciana made that call to Vince, that old bastard would get straight to business and he groaned.

"I already ate." Steve reached out tentatively towards his twin, smiling when she allowed him to hug her. "Also, I talked to Mom and Dad. I think… I think they're ready to see you." They had some breakdowns over the memory bit, but that was to be expected. There wasn't much they could do besides accept it and try to help her regain her memories. "And, as promised, I didn't mention the marriage bit."

"Thank you." Anciana frowned, chewing her bottom lip nervously, her eyes filled with confliction and a hint of fear. "H-How did they – um – take the news about my…memories being gone?"

"How the hell did ya think they took it? Ya don't remember them, girl! Momma cried her eyes out and you know Dad, he waited until I was off the phone before havin' his own breakdown. They called me several times over the past couple weeks and finally agreed to see ya. I told 'em you were bringin' company with you." Steve did NOT want to do that, but since his sister refused to see reason regarding this sham of a marriage, he had no choice except to play along for now. "So ya need to tell me when ya wanna go see them."

"Let's get through tonight and then I'll talk to Mark about it." One thing at a time.

"Talk to me about what, Ciana?"

"Meetin' yer in-laws."

Steve was, in a sick way, curious to see how that played out. He knew Taker could charm the pants off of most people, but at the same time… he wanted to know just how far Taker was willing to go to keep this obvious charade alive. How committed to his role he was, because that's all this was to the Deadman, a role. A game he was playing.

"Ohh…" He nodded, looking thoughtful and then stared down at Anciana. "They don't know about me." It wasn't really a question and, when she shook her head, he shrugged. "I'm sure they know OF me, though."

"Course they do." Steve grumbled, only because his folks watched wrestling.

"They think you're Satanic."

"Thank you?"

"Wasn't a compliment."

Steve had just given him some food for thought. Mark would be dressing like a downhome country boy that day, tattoos covered.

"They will love you as much as I do." Anciana stated confidently, shooting her brother a warning glare and moved to join her husband's side, kissing his bicep. "And if they don't, too bad. They don't have to fuck him, just me."

"ANCIANA!"

"What? Just stating a fact, my twin." Anciana winked, not seeing the pale expression that adorned Steve's face and heard Mark's dark chuckle resonate around the room. It sent a shiver down her spine. "Okay well…if you're not hungry and there's nothing more to talk about…"

"I'm comin' home with you, whenever you decide to go." Steve announced, refusing to allow this lunatic around his family without him present. "Just to keep an eye on things." He eyeballed Taker again, refusing to back down from his brother-in-law…and felt sick because he knew their marriage wasn't real.

Shrugging, that didn't bother Anciana at all and appreciated her brother coming with because she needed all the support she could get right now.

She was so crazy, Mark mused, going to answer the door when the server knocked and called out their food was here. He inhaled the aroma of coffee… and the bacon and eggs, lots of flapjacks and fruits… yes, he was starving. Anciana was giving Austin the what for, but then when Steve announced he was coming with, she had a look on her face that was troubling.

"Coffee, Ciana?" He offered, already pouring himself a mug and then flashed Austin a smirk over his shoulder. "Steve?"

"Don't mind if I do."

Steve damn sure was watching Taker pour it, not trusting the bastard. He wasn't leaving, not just yet. He needed to show Anciana he could behave himself and give this the old college try. Somewhat.

"Cyanide with your sugar?'

"Pass on that."

"Mark…I'm telling you the same thing I told him: Be nice or don't say anything at all." Anciana's tone held warning, shaking her head at him and took the mug he filled for Steve, extending it to her brother. They sat down at the nearby table together, with her in the middle, and took her plate that was loaded with all the delicious food he ordered. "Mmm thank you, handsome." She leaned forward to brush her lips against his, taking the syrup and poured it all over her food, her stomach rumbling with approval. They didn't eat dinner, too busy tearing each other's clothes off and sexing it up to care about food, but now sustenance was needed. "You sure you're not hungry, Stevie?"

Honestly, no, he was not. However, if Steve was ever going to open Anciana's eyes to the truth of her marriage and this man, he would have to play ball. He was going to have to be as shady as the Undertaker.

"Sure, honey, I'll take a bit." He said after Mark had filled his own plate, beginning to help himself.

Okay, that was weird. Steve was going to stay and torture himself. Mark raised an eyebrow, wondering just what was going on in those ice blue orbs that were fastened on him.

"So, tell me more about Sierra."

"Besides the fact that she packs a mean punch?" It wasn't outright provoking the man, but… Mark couldn't resist.

Steve rubbed his bruised jaw. "Yeah, besides that."

"She was really pissed at you last night. You're lucky all you got was a fist to your jaw." Anciana added, rubbing salt in the wound without realizing it and took a bite out of her pancakes, groaning in satisfaction. "Speaking of her, I gotta give her a call and make sure we're still on for training today."

"What time are you goin' there?"

"She wanted to do it at the arena before the doors open to the public. So probably around 4 or so, give us 2 hours to train." That was all Sierra would allow right now was 2 hours until she got used to the sessions again. "I'll have to tell her about going to Victoria on our days off to see Mom and Dad."

Steve really didn't want another run-in with Sierra, not if he could help it and took a bite of eggs.

"After we eat, I'll call Vince too." She reached over to take Mark's hand, squeezing it lovingly before resuming eating.

Anciana hadn't been there to witness seeing Sierra knock Steve on his backside. She had stormed out moments prior due to the fighting and everything else concerning her joining the company along with the potential storyline. Mark had told her about it though, just not in detail, because the glee would have been very plain in his tone and he was trying to behave.

"You know, if she wanted an actual career in boxing… I got some contacts." He knew her thing was cage fighting, but the woman could definitely box and had the arm work for it.

"Ain't nobody in their right mind gonna let her box other women…"

"You'd be surprised… women boxers are a legitimate thing."

"Don't doubt him. The man probably knows more about boxing than actual boxers themselves." Anciana took a bite of eggs, pouring a little more syrup on them and could feel her sweet tooth returning.

"Woman, you got enough syrup on that plate. Yer gonna end up with a fat-" Steve did NOT finish that sentence because Mark's hand shot out, wrapping around his throat.

"Mark!" Anciana shot up to her feet and grabbed his arm, shaking her head vigorously. "H-He was joking, and I didn't take offense to it! Please let him go! Please don't hurt him!" She pleaded, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice and felt relief course through her when he released Steve's throat.

Steve coughed and wheezed, glaring at his adversary across the table and couldn't believe the dead bastard had gone back to eating!

"Jesus…" Anciana excused herself and walked into the bathroom, needing a minute, not believing how breakfast turned out.

"You will keep your remarks about her appearance, size, shape… to yourself." Mark ordered in a low baritone, more than a hint of warning there. "She is gorgeous."

"I'm not sayin' she ain't, but- Jesus!" He could only stare at Taker, who was now smothering HIS food with a ton of syrup. "Yer gonna get a fat ass too." He snarled, blue eyes flashing fire.

"The better to squish you with." No wonder the man couldn't keep a woman, he couldn't shut up for two seconds.

Anciana was not angry with her husband, even though she should've been. He had scared her with that spike in his temper and couldn't recall seeing him THAT irate. Granted, she knew her brother was being an ass and let his mouth run away with him, but apparently, doing it in front of Mark wasn't a good idea. The more she thought about it, the more it made her smile that he defended her honor. There was a reason she smothered her food in syrup because she'd work it off in the gym, very rarely missing a workout. Feeling an evil streak brewing, Anciana walked out of the bathroom, sat straddled her husband's lap and passionately kissed him, grabbing what was left of the syrup.

"Stevie, you better leave because it's about to get _sticky_ in here." Then she promptly poured the remaining syrup all down the front of her chest, her robe open, but Steve couldn't see anything. Mark could, however.

"Yer just as fucked in the head as he is, Anci! He's fuckin' damaged yer mind! Ain't no decent person do that shit in front of their damn siblin'!" Steve shouted in disgust, shoving up and away, storming for the door.

His sister was a whore for the Undertaker, pulling that stunt RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER BROTHER. Cursing a blue streak, Steve stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Steve had just done more damage than he ever could on his best day and Mark stared down at Anciana, feeling that syrup starting to hit his pajamas.

"Anciana?" She looked a bit… shocked.

Shocked yes, but Steve deserved it after insinuating she would have a fat ass if she kept eating like she was. It was payback, plain and simple. "Pussy!" She shouted out, knowing he heard her because he was cussing violently outside of their hotel room.

Shrugging, she turned her gaze back on her husband and slid her tongue along his bottom lip, showing him what Steve shouted hadn't bothered her. Not really. Anciana didn't know the man very well to begin with, not like her husband.

"Maybe you have become a bad influence on me, corrupted my mind, and you know what? I like it." It was an impulsive move on her part, she would admit that much. "So, should I go shower or…are you going to lick it off me, handsome?"

"I do have a bit of a sweet tooth this morning, darlin'." He countered in a growl, reaching out to start pushing her robe down her shoulders until it fell off her, hanging down his legs on the floor. Hands moving to support her back, Mark bent Anciana backward, his own head following as he swiped his tongue to lick at the trail of syrup, rumbling.

Pussy maybe, but Steve wasn't a slut who was asking to be fucked with a sibling in the room. Steve simply shook his head, knowing Anciana was starting to turn into something twisted. HIS Anciana would've never pulled that stunt! The sooner she was away from Undertaker, the better.

It was Steve's fault for opening his mouth and letting it run away with him. Anciana had been perfectly content to have a peaceful breakfast with her husband and twin, but Steve couldn't stop himself. He'd upset Mark and her with what he almost said, forcing Mark to react in the most violent way she'd ever seen. The way he squeezed Steve's neck to the point of him turning red had frightened…and excited her at the same time. Hell, maybe she was corrupted, but she couldn't help falling even more in love with Mark. That syrup slid all the way down to the crack of her pussy, the mixture of her essence and syrup on his tongue, and then on hers when he kissed her, made her world spin.

"I love you, god I love you so much, Mark…" She moaned out, feeling him plant her on the table after swiping the food off of it in order to fully explore her syrup covered body.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

A few hours later, Anciana finally stepped out of the shower, leaving Mark in there to wash his body, and dialed Vince's number. He answered on the second ring. "Mr. McMahon, it's Anciana Calaway. I wanted to let you know that I've made my decision…"

She proceeded to explain what both her and Mark wanted, giving Vince her stipulations and he agreed to them, both agreeing to meet up at the arena to sign her contract later that night at Raw Is War. Then she called Sierra for their training session, agreeing to meet up at 4, which gave her more time to spend with her husband. They did have to talk though, so she waited for him to finish and looked up when he walked out of the bathroom, cracking a smile up at him.

"We should talk about…the storyline and your character. You said I wouldn't love you as the Undertaker, so I need you to prepare me for what's coming when we're out in the ring together."

He eyeballed her, a comb in his hand, and began actually combing his little goatee and mustache. Syrup had mussed that all up, it was weird. When he was done, he considered his wife. "You've seen my character." He claimed finally, nodding when she did. "I am dark… and sinister…" Mark was slowly approaching her, emerald eyes turning a glittering green, a poisonous shade almost as his lips thinned into a cruel leer. His voice was also beginning to change, darken and deepen, the accent fading. "And I take what I want, Anciana." It was almost a caress if evil was in the business of caressing, and a pale hand reached up, fingers splaying against her cheek.

The way he had changed so…drastically and suddenly…Anciana didn't like it at all and pulled away from him, swallowing hard. Even his eyes had changed along with his voice and it sent shivers of dread down her spine instead of desire. There was nothing desirable or sexy with what he was doing currently, how he spoke and looked at her. If anything, she found it creepy…very creepy. That was a good thing because that was how she had to act towards him out in the ring in front of all those people and on national television. Slowly, she nodded, his touch making her skin crawl.

"Okay, fine, I got it. I understand, now can I have my Mark back please?" The sweet, loving, kind man who had treated her like a queen and protected her.

Of course, she didn't like this side of him and that was why he kept it hidden. Undertaker, Mark Calaway, same man, different sides of the coin. "I was never gone, darlin'." He teased in his soft drawl, smiling when relief washed over her face. "It's my in-ring character, a persona. Spent years on it, changing it, evolving. Don't like?" When she made a big show of shuddering, Mark began laughing. "Good, that's the point." For her sake, she would never get her memories back, or that'd be her day to day life with him – shuddering.

"Perfect it all you like, but that's not you. That dark, sinister part of you isn't who you really are." Anciana's voice dripped with confidence as she reached up to wrap her arms around her neck, kissing him. "This, the man standing in front of me with beautiful, soft green eyes and a deep southern voice, that's who you are. That's who I'm in love with." Enough distracting, they had their talk and Anciana would have no problem acting creeped out with the Undertaker because…she actually was. "I'm meeting Sierra at 4 at the arena for my training and then afterward, I have to sign my contract with Vince. We also need to talk about our traveling arrangements." Which would have to change to keep with the storyline since she was strictly Steve's sister on television. "I was thinking about wearing my ring on my right hand…would you be okay with that?"

She was delusional as hell, good, he liked her that way. The longer she was like this, the more she would enjoy her life. If Anciana regained her memories and decided to be… difficult, so to speak, she'd find out just how much of the Undertaker he truly was.

"That's fine, Ciana. As for travel, you'll be fine to travel distances and on flights with me. It's when we're in a town for a televised event that you'll need to be seen with Austin." Providing Steve wanted her around after that stunt she had pulled earlier, he chuckled at the memory. "Come on woman, you're distracting me." He bent down to inhale her hair, smiling. "And you still smell like syrup."

"Don't tell me that!" Anciana groaned out, smelling her hair and smacked his chest lightly, glad he was back to her Mark again. That Undertaker bit…the quick glimpse she'd gotten…was creepy and scared her. "I'll make sure to switch fingers once we're not in the public eye until this storyline is over with." She promised, pulling the ring off and slipped it on her right ring finger, frowning. That felt weird…and she didn't like it, immediately switching it back. "I'll do it later." Kissing him quickly, she went to finish getting ready for the day and pulled her hair up in a high ponytail for the upcoming training she'd have to do. "I'm gonna go down to the hotel gym and get a workout in, do you want to come with or relax?"

"I'll come with you." All that syrup, so many delicious, empty calories. He'd have to properly eat later, something healthy and filled with carbs. "Give me a minute…" Today was a leg day, Mark was planning on kicking Austin's head off his shoulders, right in front of his twin, and calling it 'working'. When she seemed to have issues with wearing the ring on the opposite finger, he began laughing. "Would you prefer to wear it on a chain, darlin'?" He did when he was out without her, wore his on the same silver necklace he had worn during their little roleplay sessions.

"No, no I'm okay. I just have to get used to it, that's all."

Anciana smiled up at him reassuringly, pulled her sneakers on and waited for him to get ready, turning her ring around her finger. Fans were not allowed to stay in the same hotel as the WWF Superstars whenever they were in town. So, they would be able to work out together in peace without the fear of any fans seeing them together. Granted, some already had since she always went to the arena with him, but hopefully, they could still pull off the storyline with little problem. While Mark worked his legs, she decided to do cardio and jumped on the treadmill, set it for an hour and medium pace. She pulled her Walkman out, clipped it to her side and turned her Metallica CD on, becoming lost in her workout.

He watched her on the treadmill, busy with pressing weights. It had been a while since he had done this, so Mark was building up to what he knew he could do. That and just diving in was stupid; nobody did that unless they wanted to pull something or worse because they hadn't been patient enough, to properly work up to it and warm everything up, so to speak. His eyes narrowed as he spotted Joanie and Paul slipping into the gym, nodding when Paul waved a single hand at him. There was an ambitious little bastard, looking to get out from underneath the shadow of Shawn Michaels.

Waving at Joanie and Paul, Anciana continued with her workout and could feel her body gleaming with sweat. The burn in her legs and arms felt amazing; working out was a great way to release tension and stress, which she had a ton of. Joanie joined her on the other treadmill while Paul began lifting on the military press, so Anciana turned her Walkman off to talk to Joanie.

"So, when were you going to tell me about your big break, chick?"

"Oh…" Word traveled fast within the company. "I just made my decision to do it this morning and…how did you find out?"

"Paul overheard Austin bitching about you and Taker. Something about syrup, but he also said he'd be keeping you away from Taker as much as possible during the line since you have to travel with him a lot."

"Is THAT right?" Steve was in for a rude awakening because she planned on traveling with her actual FRIENDS instead of douchebag twin, until he removed his head from his backside, when she couldn't travel with her husband.

"Besides, in this company, good luck keeping anything secret for long." Joanie snorted, rolling her eyes and shook her head. "We all work and travel, basically live together, gossip runs rampant. Just a friendly head's up." Women had it worse than men because women not only had to deal with the men, but women were nasty, vicious creatures even among themselves. She knew that firsthand.

"Thanks for the heads up. I'm training with Sierra again today at 4, if you want to join us."

Anciana did not mind Joanie being there because they had become good, fast friends. It was nice to have someone other than Mark to seek advice from and talk to. As much as she enjoyed being with her husband, she knew too much time spent together would be disastrous for their marriage.

"Do you mind if I ride with you and Paul when I can't travel with Mark?"

"That's fine with me, but I'll ask the Neanderthal, just to make sure he's cool with it." They laughed and continued running on the treadmills, shooting the breeze with each other.

Paul wasn't sure if he liked Joanie hanging out with the wife of the Undertaker and the twin sister of Stone Cold Steve Austin, deciding he would be talking to his woman about it later when they were alone.

Of course, he had been observing all of this while working out, taking in facial expressions and reading lips when he could. He knew Paul and Joanie had some issues, most of them seemed to stem from her inability to not occasionally act like a defensive manhater. Mark knew where those issues stemmed from. Joanie had suffered some severe confidence knocks, due to her more… masculine looks, until she had started getting surgeries, bit by bit, to alter her facial features and then worked to streamline her physique. Then Paul himself… he had ambitions and wasn't above doing dirty work when required. He smiled to himself, looking up at the ceiling as he started adding new variables to the board.

* * *

"Okay, Anciana, I want you to read through this thoroughly, we'll make any necessary changes you want to include in the contract, as long as I agree to them, and we'll be all set. You will debut with Steve tonight at the beginning of the show. Mr. McMahon is going to go out, accuse Taker of being aligned with his brother, Kane, and…"

"Wait, who?"

"Kane…the man with the red and black mask…he's the Undertaker's half-brother…"

"Oh. Sorry, I'm still trying to get used to all the characters and everything." Amnesia was such a bitch sometimes.

"Right, anyway, you will come out with Austin and he will rip into Taker, after sending Mr. McMahon packing and we'll go from there. Taker will convince your brother that Mr. McMahon is trying to drive a wedge between them and nobody knows what to think. You will just stand there and look clueless and stay by your brother's side because Taker…"

"He's creepy. The character, I mean. Love my husband outside of the ring, but inside…no, not so much."

This would work out better than he hoped.

She'd figure out who he was soon enough. Kane had been doing what he did best, being quiet and keeping his big, shaggy head down. Many assumed that, because he was so quiet, and he kept his mask on a lot to keep with his… character, he was potentially mildly retarded. No, Kane was just observant and quiet, it worked better that way. Of course, he was aware of Anciana, her arrival had caused quite the stir. The twin of Steve Austin and the wife of the Undertaker, that was… interesting as hell, actually.

After kissing her husband and promising to meet up with him at the hotel after the show, Anciana reluctantly left him to go to her brother's dressing room. Wardrobe had made up an outfit for her – black leather skirt and an Austin 3:!6 top that was sleeveless and tied in a knot at the side to show off her taut stomach. The skirt was mini, sex sold tickets after all and her feet were encased in leather boots. Her hair was in corkscrew curls all the way around, left down and her makeup was simple black liner, foundation, and gloss. She was the twin sister of Stone Cold Steve Austin, after all. Pulling her wedding ring off, Anciana slipped it on her right ring finger before reluctantly knocking on the door, waiting for her brother to answer.

Steve had been mentally reminding himself to keep himself in check. Not let his mouth override his ass. Settle the score with Taker in the ring, when he was able to. Then he opened the door, seen what his sister was wearing, and that gross, disturbing syrup scenario was back in his head. He pulled a face before sighing resignedly.

"Sex sells, right?" At her nod, he grimaced. Steve had never thought about how the women were treated until he saw it being enforced on his own twin. "All right, in ya come." He held the door open for her.

"It's not like I'm showing off any of my assets, Steven." Anciana remarked, stepping inside his dressing room and twisted the ring around her finger.

It felt foreign and she didn't like it, hating herself for agreeing to do this. Her brother had orchestrated this to keep her away from Mark at the arena, and she wasn't happy with him. Sitting on the bench, Anciana crossed one leg over the other and clasped her hands in her lap, not sure what to say to him after what happened earlier that morning. So, she just kept her mouth shut and sat there, waiting until it was time to go out to the ring. Steve was still a stranger to her…and she didn't know how to act around him since every little thing seemed to set him off.

Steve hadn't orchestrated anything. Vince McMahon had, and Steve had pointed out the obvious. For kayfabe sake, she had to dissociate herself with her husband. Anciana had the chance to turn this line down and she hadn't, knowing what she was signing, so this was all on her.

"Talked to Mom today." Steve broke the silence when it got a little too heavy for his liking. "She's askin' if you can make it out there this Wednesday for a barbecue." At her puzzled look, he smiled and shrugged at the same time. "We're Texans honey, it's how we do things when we're tryin' to get comfortable and get to know people."

A barbeque meant there would be a lot of people there…and Anciana wasn't sure if she was ready for that. "Steve…I appreciate what Mom and Dad are doing, but…" Her eyes lowered to her lap. "It's been…a long time since I saw them. I don't want a bunch of people around for our reunion." It wouldn't be all wine and roses; Anciana didn't know how her parents were, but something told her it wouldn't be a very…welcoming affair. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to come another time. I just want it to be us…nobody else and a barbeque sounds…busy." She didn't know how else to describe it and wrapped her arms around herself, unable to meet her brother's eyes.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"A lot of people? Honey, it'll be just them, you and Calaway, and us kids. Not a bunch of people but yer family, yer brothers. I know that you feel overwhelmed, but you gotta understand, Anci, we all missed you. It's been 16 years, and…" Steve knew this was at her pace; she didn't remember any of them and, ultimately, everyone was going to be selfish about this.

"I was hoping it would just be you, Mark and me there to have the talk. This isn't…" Her parents had no idea she was married and WHO she was married to. Not to mention, she didn't know how Mark would react to a family barbeque. "I know everyone has missed me, but…I don't know any of you because of my amnesia, Steve. I know that's hard for you to come to grips with, but it's the truth and I can't change it." Maybe it sounded selfish to their other siblings, which Steve told her about, but she wasn't ready to see every single person in their family tree. Mom and Dad first and then she would work her way up.

Steve shook his head. "Whatever you want, Anci."

He was tired of trying and trying. She wanted her memories back, but she was too scared to do anything, besides look for her husband's approval. And then other times, Anciana showed she was the twin he had known so long ago. He was just going to have to sit back and let sleeping dogs lay.

"I gotta get some more tape for my wrists." He held up the now empty roll, only one wrist taped up. "Want to come with me? I can introduce you to some of the people we work with."

"Sure."

Anciana knew Steve wasn't happy with her feelings regarding the barbeque, but he had to look at it from her point of view. It wasn't like she was saying she never wanted to meet their siblings, but their parents deserved to see her one-on-one after all this time. Not to mention, the marriage bombshell she was going to drop on them. Sighing, Anciana followed her brother down the hallway, shaking hands with a few of the Superstars she hadn't met yet and stepped inside the trainer's room, where the tape was located.

"Hey Anci, think fast!" Steve blinked when the tape bounced off his sister's head as she dropped to her knees, clutching her head.

* * *

" _Hey Anci, think fast!" It was Steve as a teenager, throwing a football at her and it nailed her in the chest, sending her flying to the ground._

" _STEVEN WILLIAMS!"_

" _Now Steven, that wasn't very nice, boy."_

* * *

Curling up in a tight ball, memories flooded her about her parents and Steve, including their siblings Scott and Kevin. One flashback after another, they tore through her mind and broke open more of the dam of memories, overwhelming her as she clutched her head harder. She couldn't hear Steve yelling or Larry trying to help, tear streaming down her cheeks from the excruciating pain. The memories stopped at her walking out the front door of her parents' house, after promising to become a professional wrestler, at age 16. Snapping her eyes open, Anciana was breathing heavily, her vision somewhat blurry and felt hands slowly pull her up into a sitting position.

"Are you alright, Anciana?" Larry asked, looking at Steve, who looked ready to have a heart attack.

It took a minute for the fog to clear out of her mind, her eyes looking at Larry, not recognizing him and then to the other man, her twin brother, tears instantly flooding her eyes. "Stevie?" The amount of recognition in her crystalline eyes was deep and strong, her hand reaching up to touch his face like she used to when they were younger. It was a comfort mechanism she used whenever he was upset about something.

Steve was not able to switch gears that fast, though on a physical level, what she was doing was familiar and he was subconsciously acknowledging by moving to tap the center of her forehead with his forefinger. He hesitated, still searching her face. Only moments ago, she had been having what looked like an aneurysm or something and now… now the pain was still lingering in her face, but so was recognition.

"Anci, honey," He whispered hoarsely, having just shouted himself silly, and was sort of hearing Larry directing people into the room. "What the hell just happened?"

"Stevie…"

Anciana tossed her arms around his neck tightly, holding him close and began sobbing, her entire body trembling. She remembered him and their family…their Mom and Dad…and their childhood in a matter of minutes. She'd had the most interesting triggers that were bringing her memories back, overwhelming her.

"I-I remember…I remember you…and Mom and Dad…and Kev and Scotty." Pulling back to stare into his eyes, Anciana felt a barrage of emotions rush over her at once and couldn't stop crying. "I-I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry for leaving! I didn't mean to, I just really wanted to be a wrestler…and I hurt you and Mom and Dad…and everyone! I'm so sorry, Stevie! I've missed you so much, all of you…"

Larry had made the mistake of going to get Anciana's husband, the Undertaker, and he had arrived. "Anciana, is your head alright? Do you need me to look you over?" Everyone was aware of her amnesia issue, though it was looking like it would be temporary.

Mark halted, taking in the sight. Steve's back was to him and he could see Anciana hugging her brother, both of them very likely crying. He could hear Steve laughing softly and whispering things to her; it sounded like apologies for their big blowout back when they had been practically children. Her face was red, tearstained, and he heard Larry muttering something about her having an attack of some sort. He listened, nodding as Larry listed off what he had observed, knowing exactly what had happened. His wife had just regained a ton of memories. He was cautious, wondering just what she had remembered.

"Darlin'?"

Hearing his voice, Anciana released her brother and rushed up to him, the biggest smile on her tear-streaked face. "Mark, my memories…I remember Stevie! I remember my parents, and Kev and Scotty! Can you believe it?! I remember them!" She giggled out, covering her mouth with her hand and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. She felt his arms wrap around her and released him after a minute, backing up to wipe the tears from her eyes. "I'm such a mess!" Her eyes went back to her twin, unconditional love and recognition flooding through them, the smile not leaving her face. Little by little, piece by piece, she was returning back to the old Anciana.

Either she was so wrapped up in being able to remember her actual family, she hadn't yet processed him and their marriage. Or only remembered her family and little else. Mark watched as Steve took her hands and they began doing some weird handshake, chanting what sounded like some high school cheer thing.

"What was the trigger?"

"Steve tossed something at her, said to catch." Larry said with a shrug. "This isn't really my thing, Taker. You'd need an actual doctor or someone who specializes in the mind. Anciana, may I examine you please?" He had to make sure she was able to go out tonight.

Not only were they doing their secret twin handshake, but they also added a little special touch to it, hopping on one foot while turning around before colliding against each other. They laughed, hugging tightly and Steve rained kisses all over her face, assuring her all was forgiven. Anciana didn't need to be looked over, she was elated and couldn't stop hugging her twin. For the first time in years, over a decade, Anciana was really seeing and reuniting with her twin brother, the one person who had always supported her, up until she walked out on their family at age 16.

"I'm fine, I don't need anything. I have everything I could ever want. My memories, my brother and my husband." Anciana kissed Steve's bald head before walking over to take her husband's hand, nodding when he asked quietly if she was alright. "Yeah, my head doesn't even hurt anymore."

"Anciana, looking you over isn't optional. You had… an attack of sorts, you need to be looked over or you can't work." She wasn't special and had to follow the same rules as everyone else. Insurance was a bitch sometimes.

"He's not wrong…" Mark admitted grudgingly, rolling his eyes at Larry.

They were all subjected to that ruling, hence the reason for a traveling medical team of sorts. Not many, because Vince tended to hire temps in each town for a night. It saved him money, nurses and EMTs were willing to put in the time if they had it available, just to get backstage and meet wrestlers.

"What all do you remember?" He asked curiously, relief coursing through him because it was obviously not everything. "Come on." He hoisted her up and deposited her on the exam table.

"Suck it up, CiCi." Steve teased, standing beside Mark and didn't care, he was just too happy at the moment. "She never liked doctors." Or the nickname of CiCi, that he only used when he wanted to royally irritate her. It seemed he had because he recognized the look on her face, which just made him smile even more.

"Yeah, yeah, Steven."

Anciana rolled her eyes, but did as she was told and let Larry check her over, following the light. Anything the man asked her to do, she did and passed with flying colors. Her head still ached a little, but other than that, there was no damage done and she was cleared to go out to the ring with her brother.

"Thank you, Larry."

The light and life burned brightly in her eyes and Anciana felt more familiar with herself. Before, she was simply putting one foot in front of the other, but now – now she felt like her actual self again. Her memories, the majority of them, had returned regarding her brother and family and Sierra. She did not remember Cameria or Mark yet, but Anciana was confident those memories would soon surface.

"I'm sorry for scaring you. I didn't expect that to happen." Now, she stood outside of the trainer's room talking softly with her husband and caressed his face tenderly with the back of her hand.

For Steve, this had taken on a whole new thing for him. He watched as the Undertaker held Anciana tightly against him, noting the way the man instantly buried his face in her blonde hair with his eyes closed. If he didn't know better, if he didn't know Calaway better, he'd have thought the man actually loved his twin. As it was, Steve did know better.

Her memories were coming back at an alarming rate. Though the years after she had left home still seemed to be missing, outside of what she could remember about Sierra. She would, eventually, be in touch with Cameria and that banshee bitch was about to become his next ace in the hole.

"Anything of me, yet, darlin'?" He asked, moving so he could stare down into her face, sighing when she shook her head. "It'll get there in time."

"So… Anci, about that barbecue…" Steve smirked when acidic eyes turned his way. "Have we changed our mind on that yet?"

"Oh…OH! Yeah, of course! I want to see everyone and…say sorry for being a class A jackass by leaving." Her eyes moved to her husband and softly kissed him, enjoying being in his arms for the moment. "My parents are having a family barbeque on Wednesday and really want us to make it. Our brothers Kevin and Scott will be there too. You'll get to meet everyone." She was the only girl in the Williams family and only because she was connected to a twin…another boy. "You don't have a problem with that, do you, handsome?"

Steve waited with bated breath, wondering how that was going to play out. Mark Calaway coming home to all Anciana's brothers. He could just imagine how that was going to play out. Not to mention their parents thought the Undertaker character was Satanic. If they only knew the truth and how RIGHT they were.

"Course not, darlin'," Mark replied, well aware in the background Steve's jaw had hit the floor. "I told you before I don't mind meeting your folks. Or your family." He had also decided that day he would be playing Mark Calaway with long sleeves, remembering Steve's words about her parents. "When are we doing this? Wednesday?" That was a little short on notice.

"Yeah, Wednesday. I know it's the last minute, but…I mean it's a barbeque and it's in Texas, so we have clothes packed. It'll be fine."

She pecked his mouth quickly and knew it was almost time for the show to start. Mark had to leave to get into character and Anciana walked toward gorilla position with her brother. She shoved the corkscrew curls away from her face, vowing to never let them do her hair like this again because it was too wild and untamed. However, it also made her look stunning and somewhat innocent, which was the look Vince had gone for.

"This is it. You ready, Anci?"

Nodding, Anciana rubbed her hands together and took several deep breaths, knowing all she had to do was be herself and hoped she could pull off being frightened and intimidated of her husband. No, it wasn't her husband. It was the Undertaker…she was not married to the character, only the man. The Rock and Owen Hart went out to the ring running their mouths about wanting their title shot now against Stone Cold and Undertaker instead of later in the show. Steve winked at her before putting his game face on and heard the glass break throughout the arena, the beginning of his theme music. Undertaker arrived just in the nick of time as Anciana kept facing forward, though she could feel him behind her.

Anciana followed, her crystalline eyes shimmering under the lights as she followed her brother down to the ring with Undertaker behind her, the crowd already buzzing about who she was. Austin slid in the ring while Anciana stayed on the outside and frowned when Undertaker didn't immediately join her brother, her eyes moving up the rampway. A monster of a man stood at the top of the rampway in all red and black and Anciana instantly remembered who he was.

Kane. What the hell was Kane doing out here? Granted, they had been feuding with Kane and Mankind, another one of Undertaker's adversaries, but what were they doing out here for this segment? Anciana's widened as Undertaker began walking back up the rampway to face Kane, only for Mankind to come out of the back and start wailing on him while her brother was getting stomped the hell out of in the ring by Owen Hart and the Rock.

What the hell was happening?!


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Nothing was ever what it was supposed to be when it came to the storylines and the actual wrestlers. What happened in the ring could very well, and usually did, spill backstage into real lives. That was the simple truth. Vince had been slowly cracking down over the years, but it was a process that had met a lot of resistance because many people had gotten used to how things were. Change rarely took place overnight. Sure, they all followed the insurance rules, rules in foreign countries, that kind of stuff, but only because that tended to have an immediate effect on wallets. Mark tossed his hair back over his shoulders, eyes nothing but pure venom as he threw up his fists. Kane might've had reach, but he had flexibility and he showed it a moment later, weaving backward to avoid that big boot to his skull.

"JR, who is THAT with Stone Cold Steve Austin?! She's beautiful!"

Leave it to Jerry 'The King' Lawler to fixate on a woman instead of what was happening in the match. "She is, King, yeah. Stone Cold grabbed an equalizer! Rock and Owen are hightailing it to the back!"

Undertaker had disappeared to the back with Mankind while Steve stood in the ring with a steel chair in hand. He looked over at Anciana, asking if she was alright and she could only nod as his theme music blared through the speakers. Anciana didn't get into the ring because Steve had already jumped out of it and stalked to the back with her following, not believing what an explosive beginning to the show they had. There was still another segment to go involving Mr. McMahon and his posse and then the tag match against The Rock and Owen Hart.

"Fuckin' jackasses!" Steve growled, stalking through the curtain and immediately turned to his twin to make sure she was alright.

Rocky and Owen had spat some choice words at her and she'd taken it with a grain of salt by flipping them the bird. Steve could NOT break character, but he wanted to laugh his ass off at his sister's feistiness. It was so good having her back again – the REAL her – not the shell she'd been earlier that morning by acting like Undertaker's slut.

"You alright, honey?"

"I should be asking you that question, Stevie."

"I'm right as rain." He was a bit ready to stomp a hole in those jackasses and then walk it dry, the words they had said had not been kind. "Now answer me, girl, you okay?"

"That's not nice!" Foley was squealing, dancing in place with his hands up trying to pry Taker's hand from his hair. "Colette likes it long!"

Colette was this idiot's wife, and how Foley had ever managed to land an actual model was beyond him. Mark gave another vicious yank before shoving Foley away, planting his boot in that very abundant, sweat pant covered backside and sent the shorter man flying. Snorting, he turned his attention to the twins, his eyes fastening on his wife.

"I'm perfectly fine, they just insulted me verbally. No hands-on action, see?"

She twirled in a circle for him, being a smartass and laughed when he put her head in a playful headlock, clasping her arms around his waist to squeeze. Steve let go a minute later, breathing heavily and Anciana smirked, a lot stronger than he gave her credit for. If she squeezed any harder, she would've broken a rib or something.

"Goddamn woman, ya tryin' to injure me?!"

"Don't touch the hair." She patted his bald head, hearing him growl and laughed, poking his side. "Oh, come on now, Stevey Weavy, I didn't hurt you that bad, did I?" He HATED being called that – it was something their grandmother used to call him, and he only tolerated it because she was an elderly woman. She had died when they turned 14.

"Whatever you say, CiCi."

Now it was her turn to scowl at him. "Stop calling me that."

"Then don't call me what you just did again, brat."

"Fine, jerk."

Anciana was different. Mark approached the twins circumspectly, eyes moving back and forth between them. She was also now a lot more like Steve, those memories had returned quite a bit of what he was assuming to be her former personality. He wasn't sure how much he liked it. Her movements, the way she spoke now, all different yet… familiar. If the Deadman wasn't careful he would tip his hand and Steve had to blink at how fast that look on his brother-in-law's face had disappeared. Where there had been caution and a flicker of danger, now was a warm look, a smile.

"Fuck all…" He muttered.

"Stevey Weavey?"

Anciana slowly turned her head to look at Undertaker and immediately saw the warmth in his eyes, knowing he was out of character for now. "Yeah. Our grandmomma used to call him that and he HATES it. He knows I hate being called CiCi, the jackass." She nudged her brother, bumping his hip and laughed at his eye roll. "I won't call you that again, but you better knock it off with the CiCi bullshit, bro."

"Fine – fine, deal." Steve wondered what his sister was going through, what she was thinking and feeling at the moment. "I don't need my rep in the locker room fucked."

"Good boy, knew you'd see it my way." Anciana approached her husband, having seen him in his ring gear before, but it was different now. Everything was different except how she felt about him. "Are you okay? I saw what happened with Kane and Mankind…"

She caressed his bicep, wondering how Mark had gone from being the Undertaker back to himself almost in the blink of an eye. The man was an enigma for sure. He nodded, assuring her everything was fine, and she leaned up on her tiptoes to softly kiss him.

"You know, I never asked you this, but do you have any family you want me to meet? Or have I already met them and you're waiting for my memories to come back before seeing them again?"

"Why would you want to go meet demons?" Obviously, anyone who had given birth to this jackass was hellspawn for sure. Steve held up his hands when Anciana shot him a dark look over her shoulder. "Fine, fine. I'm gonna… catch up with me soon, Anci." He tapped her on the back of her head with two fingers as he walked by, half expecting Taker to trip him or throw him into a wall. Anything to show his true self.

"You never met my family, darlin', never seemed to be the time." Mark admitted, clearing his throat. "They know about you though." That was also true. "Just my Mom. My Dad passed a while ago." Not that he was overly keen on her meeting his mother, that bitch had some issues.

"He just can't help himself, can he?" Anciana shook her head, the smile still on her face and tapped her husband's nose with her finger. "I'd love to meet your Mom sometime. Anybody that's important to you, actually." Even though he was in Undertaker attire, this was Mark she was talking to, her loving husband, not the cold, creepy character he portrayed in the ring. "One family issue at a time though. Let's deal with my family first since they don't know about you or the fact we're married." She kissed him again, this time a little deeper. "I should go catch up with Stevie for the next segment. I love you. See you out there, Deadman."

Winking with a giggle, she bounded down the hallway with an extra kick in her step and spirit, deciding she would be wearing blue jeans next time because leather didn't suit her. Oh no, leather suited her, and his head was tipped to the side, admiring the way that leather clung to the curves of her hips and ass. Venom flashed again as he considered his wife; if not for the fact that they were going to be a bit busy tonight with work, he would've snatched her up and had his way with her.

"I heard some rumors." Those spread fast backstage. "Anciana regained memories?" Larry had a big mouth and Paul liked to lurk and listen.

"She has…"

"Are you going to call this all off? While you still can."

"No." Mark shook his head, beginning to smile, though there was nothing nice about it, his eyes on the twins. "It's just getting interesting now."

* * *

The second segment of the night commenced with Mr. McMahon going to the ring with his posse, running his mouth about Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin. There was a conspiracy going on, according to the Chairman, regarding Undertaker and his brother, Kane. Brother? Now, Anciana knew on-screen they were brothers, but she had NO idea Kane -his real name was Glen Jacobs- and Mark were ACTUAL brothers in real life. Vince was interrupted by the Undertaker stalking to the ring, a purpose in his footing, and kept running his mouth.

Apparently, Steve had enough of what Vince had to say because he was on his way to the ring again, the glass breaking, with Anciana behind him. They decided to give her an on-screen name, though she was still being portrayed as Steve Austin's sister – Anca. It was a lot shorter and simple to say as opposed to her full birth name. Anca was also the nickname her Mom and Dad called her. This time, Anca stepped through the ring ropes with her brother and stayed by his side, folding her arms in front of her chest. Undertaker was across the ring from them, holding both tag team title belts, which he'd been holding onto since they won them at the last pay-per-view event.

"I don't trust anybody, Vince, and you know that better than anybody, son!" He rambled in the microphone, pacing back and forth while his sister stayed in the corner out of harm's way. "The fact you have those two belts don't mean a damn to me! This is the ONLY belt I want somethin' to do with!" He held up the smoking skull WWF World Heavyweight championship, his blue eyes pure ice.

"And what about your lovely TWIN sister you've decided to bring with you on the road, Steve? Do you trust her or is she part of the 'DTA' rule you have going on?"

Now everyone knew who she was.

"What in god's name is McMahon sayin'?!"

"THAT'S STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN'S TWIN SISTER, JR! PUPPIES!"

"Hell son, I don't trust ANYONE. Not my Daddy, not my momma, not my great-grandma, her great-granddaddy or any other sumbitch!" Steve had a character and he was in full Stone Cold mode, pacing the ring. "I don't trust that kid down front row with his goddamn 3:16 t-shirt either!"

Said child gasped, eyes wide.

"Stone Cold Steve Austin don't trust anybody."

He shot Anca a look, moving to stand in front of her, bending down until he was in her face. Just a tiny sparkle of amusement crept into his blue eyes before he turned away from her. The Undertaker was now staring directly at Anca, looking down his nose at the twins.

"You got somethin' to say, jackass?"

"And you don't have a problem with that, Anca?"

Now everyone knew her in-ring name. She didn't take the microphone from her brother and simply shrugged her shoulders, holding her hands up with a smirk on her face. It was identical to Steve's. Her eyes moved to her brother's tag team partner, the Undertaker, and immediately looked away from him to focus on Vince McMahon.

"What's the matter, sweetheart? Can't speak for yourself?"

Steve handed her the microphone, knowing this was her moment to showcase her promo skills. "Oh, I can speak for myself just fine, Mr. McMahon. I just have nothing to say to you or your goons. And you heard what he said – he doesn't trust anyone, not even his tag team partner Rigamortis over here." She jabbed her thumb in Undertaker's direction and could see Vince's eyes grow wider and wider. "You got TWO Austin's on your hands now, Vinnie Mac. Better saddle up, cowboy!" Then, she handed the microphone back to her brother and felt his arm draped around her neck.

Steve had a HARD time not breaking character and laughing when she called Taker Rigamortis, loving his sister's 'take no prisoners' attitude.

"JR, Mr. McMahon and the Undertaker have their hands FULL now."

"Couldn't agree more, King."

Stepping out of the ring with her brother, they began walking up the rampway when Undertaker's voice boomed throughout the arena, stopping the twins in their tracks.

Except they weren't leaving, Taker now had the microphone. "Austin, hey Austin!" His eyes flashed when Steve and Anca stopped walking. "I'm talking to you, boy."

"Well, you got my attention." The cameras picked that up as he stared at Taker.

"Now you need to shut up and listen for a minute. You're doing exactly what he wants you to do. Can't you see? He's trying to drive a wedge between us. He doesn't want us to be champions. So, just like I came to you, face to face, like a man and asked for my shot, at the World Wrestling Federation title. I want you to be a man, come back in this ring, and take what is yours."

Steve paced the ramp a few moments, his eyes turning back to Taker as he considered it. He wasn't overly appreciative of the 'be a man' thing.

"Hey! I said come take what is yours." It was a flat challenge.

Austin headed for the ring, gesturing for Anca to stay put. Soon enough, he was face to face again with Taker.

Taker deviated, just a little bit. After Austin was back out on the ramp with his Tag Team championship and reassuring him he was the 'safest SOB in the World Wrestling Federation', Taker added one final thought. "I can't, however, say the same for your sister."

"What the hell does that mean?"

King, for once, had nothing to say and shared a worried look with JR.

Anca stared down the ramp and into the ring at the Undertaker, breathing heavily while Steve stood beside her with both of his belts. He had threatened her, there were no two ways about it. Her eyes had widened for a few seconds and then narrowed, Anca feeling the defiance creeping up inside of her. The crowd exploded when she flipped the Undertaker the double bird and mouthed 'fuck you' before storming to the back with her brother hot on her heels. She was supposed to be Stone Cold's twin – twins acted the same way a lot of times, so it made sense for her to be just as defiant as her brother.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The moment they were backstage, Steve picked her up and spun her around, laughing. "That was GREAT, Anci! Did you see the look on that dead bastard's face?!"

"Served him right for threatening me."

"I need a beer."

"You did great, darlin'." Were the first words out of his mouth when Mark made it backstage, not surprised to find the twins still there, both apparently discussing that segment. Ignoring the look on Steve's face, Mark swept his wife off her feet and kissed her, doing what he had wanted earlier and copped a feel of that leather-clad backside.

"Brilliant, that was brilliant!" Vince was now there as well, grinning from ear to ear. "Two Austin's!" That was going to give him a headache soon, he already knew it, but… worth it. "The fans are loving this!"

Anciana moaned in his mouth, enjoying his hand on her backside and could tell what she'd done out in the ring hadn't bothered him. She was Anciana now, not Anca, and he was Mark, not the Undertaker. She broke the kiss, rubbing her nose against his and was set on her feet, turning to face Vince. He was elated by the segment and her promo skills, which was a huge relief. Sierra had trained her very well and she'd done it for 5 years prior to her accident.

"Thank you for this opportunity, Vince. Can I hug you?"

Vince chuckled, pulling her into his arms and hugged her, kissing the top of her head. "You'll be protected out there. These two, although they don't like each other, will protect you. They're professionals and the best at what they do."

"I know, I'm in good hands." Anciana leaned back against her husband's chest as his arm snaked around her waist while she grabbed Steve's hand, squeezing it. They had some downtime until the match, which would close the show out. "Thank you again."

Vince nodded, walking away and rubbed his hands together, not believing how well the crowd responded to Stone Cold Steve Austin's twin sister. This was working out better than he planned.

"Well, he might protect you," Steve corrected, frowning slightly. "I'm likely to stun yer ass, honey." He smirked when Anciana flipped him off, beginning to laugh. "Sorry, it's the character."

True enough and, so far, the Undertaker hadn't gone out of his way to hurt females. Mark doubted he'd be inclined to save her, however. He'd probably watch. He smirked, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"You should come back to my dressing room, Ciana." He purred, running his lips down her neck now, feeling her shivering against him.

That was gross. "I'm gettin' a beer." Steve was gone, not about to watch or hear them having one of their moments.

Anciana laughed softly at her brother's retreat, knowing he was still traumatized by what she did earlier that morning and couldn't help melting against her husband. "I'm supposed to be afraid of you."

Hearing him chuckle in her ear, Anciana was carted down the hallway, his mouth still attached to her neck. He had to move the corkscrew curls away from her skin repeatedly, caressing her back and side with his hand, while whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Once they were in his dressing room, Anciana saw the predatory gleam in his eyes and pressed her hand against his chest, shaking her head.

"You know we can't because you have a match tonight, handsome."

"Plenty of time before then, darlin'." Mark reasoned huskily, catching her hand and guiding it around his neck, while at the same time moving in.

His free hand moved to her backside again and he hunched enough to start lifting her with that one hand, feeling her using both of hers now to hold onto him. That leather skirt was rolling up and he helped it, bunching it around her hips. Reaching between them, Mark searched until he found what he was looking for and began caressing her through her panties.

"Plenty of time." He rumbled again, this time against her lips.

"Mark…"

Anciana was putty in his hands, moaning at his fingers against her panty covered flesh and clung to him, knowing he was holding her up with sheer power. She could feel it and knew there was no way she could deny him. Determination to make love to her in his dressing room pulsated through him and Anciana was powerless. Even with gaining her newfound memories, the desire and love she felt for Mark did not falter or change. She would definitely need a fresh pair of panties and, luckily, her bag was at the arena due to them traveling to the next area for Tuesday's house show. However, she would have to travel some with Steve until they were at least out of the city before pulling over to drop her off with her husband.

"Mmm…" She gasped out, feeling his fingers plunge into her wet depths and gripped his shoulders tighter.

Mark was only prepping her. Even with the time, he wasn't about to wait excessively long. He needed to keep reinforcing both physically and emotionally that he loved her, knowing her memories were going to return any day now; it was just a simple fact. His lips and teeth were on the column of her throat, though he was careful not to leave any marks, knowing she also had to go out in front of cameras again tonight. Of course, he was still trying to knock her up. Her having a period had been a bit of a letdown, knowing she hadn't been, but… they still had time.

"I need you, darlin'." He whispered harshly, pulling his fingers from her drenched core to start freeing himself from his tights.

"So take me…fuck me, Mark…" Her voice was breathless, chest rising and falling from how fast and hard her heart pounded.

Anciana felt her back hit the wall as Mark captured her mouth again, wrapping her legs around his waist to keep her pinned. She moaned uncontrollably, feeling his cock slide inside of her and clung to him for dear life, kissing him passionately. Her nails dug into his now bare shoulders, his tights around his thighs. The fact she currently had an Austin 3:16 top on while he fucked her didn't bother Mark or else he would've ripped it off her.

"Oh, harder…oh god harder…please…" Her face buried in his neck, kissing it and nibbled on his lobe, urging him on.

It didn't bother him a bit. Simply because it was hilarious that he was fucking an Austin, and working on fucking an Austin over, that was delicious. She wanted harder, so Mark gave it to her, pounding into her willing body hard enough that she was likely to have bruises, but that just seemed to drive Anciana on.

"Hey! Taker, we need you for a meeting!"

That was accompanied by a banging on the door and Mark responded by banging his fist on it since they were right there.

"You in there?"

"Don't you…dare stop…" Anciana ordered through gnashed teeth, feeling the hot coil within her develop in her stomach and threaten to spring free. "Don't stop…" They could wait until they finished; she didn't care at the moment and just needed her orgasm. "I-I'm close…" She assured him breathlessly, trying like hell to keep quiet and smirked when her husband continued screwing her right against the wall near the door. He had flipped the lock on it, just to be on the safe side, or else Bill would've walked in on him screwing her brains out. "Cum for me…" She whispered against his lips, her eyes a deep cerulean and hissed out, pressing their foreheads together.

It took Paul a moment to realize what the hell they were doing in there, that banging back from the inside had startled him. He had thought Taker had thrown a boot at the door. It wouldn't have been the first time. Then he heard the man growling and he blanched, backing the hell up. He'd let Vince know he was a little… delayed.

"Fuck!" Mark roared when he came, a bit unexpectedly, as he usually had control over keeping himself from popping his cork like a teenage boy. Her cumming and clenching around him hadn't helped, at all.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you…"

Her climax triggered his and she cried out with his roar, neither caring who heard them. She rested her forehead against the side of his neck, breathing erratically and barked out a harsh laugh, glad Bill had gotten the message with Mark's hand slamming against the door. The fact he didn't stop and listened to her just made her heart soar. It proved he would put her above all else, even his career, which was astounding since Mark gave his all to his career and this company.

"I love you…" She murmured in his ear, holding him close and slowly pulled back to stare into his eyes, accepting a soft cooldown kiss from him and his cock slid out of her, going limp.

"I love you too, darlin'." Mark rumbled, feathering kisses over her face as he cooled down before finally stepping away from her, tucking himself back into his tights. His clouded eyes roamed over her flushed face, smiling slightly. "I suppose…" He didn't want to go to this meeting; he'd rather stay here and enjoy what time they had before the next segment. "Shall we, Mrs. Calaway, or do you need a minute?" Mark grinned down at her, deciding they both needed to replenish their fluids and walked over to retrieve two of the bottled waters he kept in his dressing room.

"Do I need to go to that meeting? I thought it was just for you…" Then again, she had to remind herself Mark and Steve were the current WWF Tag Team champions. "Never mind, forget I even asked that. See what you do to me! You get my brain all fuzzy and make me unable to focus and think clearly." She snatched the water from him, downing half of it and felt a little better, walking over to the mirror hanging on the wall to check herself out. Anciana couldn't splash her face with cold water or else her makeup would run. "Let me grab a fresh pair of panties and we can go." There was no way in HELL she was having squishy underwear for the rest of the night.

"Oh no, we're already late to the meeting." Mark grabbed her by the arm, stopping her from getting those panties and smirked, bending down. "You don't want to be naughty and go sit in that meeting, like this…?"

His hand was under her skirt, roaming up her thigh and then he pushed aside the material of said soaked panties, running a finger along her very wet, very slippery slit. Knowing well enough that she was pretty much leaking from the amount of cum he had just unloaded. She shivered, and he bent down, capturing her lips with his.

"Mark, this is very uncomfortable…" Anciana groaned, allowing him to pull her out of the room while he sucked on that finger, making her flush all over again.

Great, everybody would know what happened and something told her Mark wouldn't care. She was definitely changing her panties before going out to the ring, whether he liked it or not. This squishy feeling was NOT sexy at all, but if it made him happy, she'd do it…once. Walking into the meeting, Anciana quickly took a seat along with her husband, who apologized on their behalf for being late.

Steve did NOT want to know why his sister looked…flushed and kept his focus on Vince. "What's this about, old man?"

"The newest addition to this feud, Steve." Vince gestured to Anciana with a smile. "The fans reacted to her a lot more than we anticipated and we want to capitalize on that."

Once again, Anciana could see dollar signs flashing in the older man's eyes and felt Mark take her hand beneath the table, lacing their fingers together. Probably a good idea she had hold of his hand because he was very tempted to finger her beneath the table, in this room filled with other people. With as soaked and sloppy as she was right now, it would very likely make some interesting noises. Mark smirked, letting his head fall forward, so his hair would come down over his face, trying not to laugh.

"And just what is so damn funny?"

"Not a thing." He had just fucked Steve Austin's twin, after threatening her. Fans were being denied some juicy details.

Steve didn't even want to know. "So, what's this about? Anca I suppose, you got ideas for her?"

"Well, considering Anca was threatened by the Undertaker and she reciprocated with her brother's patent finger motion…"

"Flipping you off, you mean." Steve interjected, a smirk curving his lips at the memory of his sister doing that. A double finger salute to the Deadman, of all people.

"We want to open that up more…between them. That animosity from the twin sister because this giant is trying to take her brother's title from him. So Anciana, we need Anca to be a bit more…"

"Aggressive?"

"Yes…yes that." Vince nodded, folding his hands on top of the desk. "She won't interfere in your matches because we all know you won't approve of that, Steve."

"Damn right I won't."

"BUT…she CAN interfere with the Undertaker. Talking trash to him, even while he's still your tag partner and being completely defiant. What do you think?"

"And what happens when he inevitably knocks my head off my shoulders and uses it as a bowling ball?"

That was a good point.

That was a damn good point and Mark was not surprised in the least when nobody immediately offered up a counterargument to that one, shooting his wife a grin.

"Now," Bill interjected, having been invited to sit in on the meeting because he knew the Undertaker character almost as well as the man himself. "The Undertaker has never actually laid hands on a woman…"

"She is Steve Austin's twin…"

"I'm not about to chokeslam her ass."

"What about maybe pushing her around, if provoked?"

"You planning on provoking me, darlin'?" When she shrugged, he shook his head, still grinning. "I don't care if she does. You nail me in the balls though, woman, and I'll change my stance about the chokeslam."

"Taker, with all due respect, you told me you've been wanting to turn heel for a while. It's not going to happen overnight, but…going after Stone Cold's twin will steer you in that direction since he's the fan favorite right now." Vince pointed out, agreeing with what Paul said, but there had to be a way to interject her in the matches or else there was no point in having her out there.

"I'm not gonna be another Chyna, no offense to her. She's great and I love her and her character, but that's her thing." Anciana felt Mark squeeze her fingers to let her know all would be well between them, no matter what Vince wanted her to do.

"No, we're not asking you to interfere in the matches, just…provoke the Undertaker. You can do that without interfering in the matches…until they're no longer Tag Team champions, which is slated to happen next Monday on Raw."

That was news to both Steve and Taker. "Really? So soon?"


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

"We have to build up your feud for Summerslam and can't very well have the main event being teamed up together." Vince knew he made a valid point.

He did. "So we lose the titles and then he'll start going after Anca to play mind games with me?"

"If she provokes him enough during the matches tonight and next week, yes."

"I'll do my best. That's all I can really say." Anciana wasn't sure how she was supposed to provoke a man who was considered the master of mind games.

Considering he had basically said he was game for anything as long as Anciana was on board, Vince needed to clean his ears out. "I'm sure we'll think of something, darlin'." He reassured her, his mind already turning the wheels, so to speak.

"She can get her pert ass between me and Taker, we do tend to get into each other's faces quite a bit."

"You're the safest son of a bitch in this company right now, Austin." Mark reminded, rolling his eyes. "I'll handle it. I'll give her a reason, I already started laying down the work for it."

"Fine, we'll leave it to you, Taker." Vince had every confidence in his Superstar to pull this off and could also see the gears turning in the man's head.

"Getting in between you two is not a good idea, Stevie. Have you lost your mind? It's not that I can't handle it, but…you two can be overwhelming and…you genuinely don't like each other." There was real, raw hatred between them and Anciana didn't want to be sandwiched between them. That would be an instant hospital visit.

"I agree, and we don't want your sister harmed." Vince was surprised Steve had actually suggested that, raising a slow brow at the man. Even Taker and Paul looked perplexed.

"Hey, she's my twin, I'm not about to hurt her."

"And she's my wife."

"You're the fuckin' Undertaker, you hurt everyone, jackass."

Mark leaned back in his chair, purposefully pulling his hand out from under the table slowly, making sure Steve knew exactly where it had been before folding them both on top of the table. "I'm her husband, and she will not come to harm by my hand."

Bill realized right then and there how Anca was about to get involved, blinking before clearing his throat. "Excuse me…" He had paperwork to go get ready, waivers and other things.

The meeting was adjourned, everyone on the same page, for the most part, and Anciana was having issues. How the hell was she supposed to provoke Mark – no Undertaker – in the ring. Short of flipping him the bird, which she'd already done, Anciana was out of ideas on how to provoke him without interfering in the matches. This was a nightmare! Why did Vince insist on putting this type of pressure on her?

She went back to Mark's dressing room to change panties, walking into the bathroom and threw her soiled ones away. They were completely ruined, thanks to her husband. Slipping the fresh pair of panties on, after cleaning herself up downstairs a bit, Anciana washed her hands and shut the water off, gripping the sink. What if she failed this? What if she failed her character?

"Damn it…"

When she was in there longer than necessary, Mark opened the door, not surprised to find her gripping the sink and staring at herself in the mirror. Sighing, he aligned his body with hers, his hands on hers, fingers folded over hers, arms along hers, and rested his chin on top of her head. "You'll be fine, Ciana," He reassured her, his eyes meeting hers in the mirror. "Just channel that inner Austin of yours…" His lips curved upwards into a sardonic smile. "We'll manage it."

"I hate saying this, but I need your help out there, Mark. I have no idea how to provoke the master of mind games." Anciana felt his hands glide up and down her sides before wrapping around her waist, his nose buried in her corkscrew curls. Some of them were loose, but it didn't look bad. "I want this…to be out there in front of the crowd and feel the adrenaline flow through me. I want to be Anca." Turning, Mark caught her lips with his and Anciana wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying how affectionate her husband was being tonight. Whatever got into him, she hoped it continued and felt his hands grip her backside through the leather skirt yet again. "You're distracting me, handsome…" Why couldn't Anca and Taker be together on-screen? They would probably set the arena on fire with their raw passion, lust, and desire for each other. "I need to go…"

They couldn't be together on-screen because that was not something he could see the Undertaker doing: showing vulnerability via a woman. That was a downfall to many characters and many relationships. He could even pinpoint several. With Stone Cold Steve Austin's twin sister at that… no. Mark would have to be content fucking her and loving her off-screen and seeing what dark magic they could create on.

"Trust me, Anciana," He whispered, soothing her. "Things will work out." He took her hand and raised it up, pressing a kiss to the back of it. "Go on, darlin'." Mark watched as she reluctantly headed for that door, feeling her hand slide out of his.

When Anciana was gone, he let the smile fall, turning to face the wall and began warming up with his shadow boxing, his mind on her worries. Foolish woman, afraid of not being able to pull this off. She may have been an Austin… he was the Undertaker and he had this. All it would take was just the right look, the right word, the right push over the edge and her brother would wind up doing all the work himself because that's just who Steve was, deep down. Good intentions, but a temper that tended to shove those intentions right out the window when it was up. That was Steve Austin's constant downfall, in the ring and out of it.

"You okay? You ready for this?" Steve asked upon seeing his sister, watching her walk up to gorilla position while he jumped up and down, pouring water over his bald head.

He had the WWF championship over his shoulder and the other in his hand, his Austin leather vest over his shoulders with his black trunks and black boots. Steve needed nothing else, nothing flashy, not even his theme entrance had pyro or anything like that. It wasn't needed.

"Yes." Anciana had to be confident and switched gears from being herself to Anca, the Rattlesnake's twin sister with an attitude that mirrored his own. "Let's go out there and open up a can of whoop ass on their sorry asses!"

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Steve was hyped, smirking at his sister and then put his poker face on just as the glass shattered for the third time that night throughout the arena, the fans exploding.

Walking out behind her brother, they headed straight to the ring where The Rock, Owen Hart and Undertaker waited. Undertaker made his entrance first because he wasn't the champion. Anca clapped her hands for her brother, walking around to stand by their corner as he started to do his four corner postpose…only to be stopped by The Rock and Owen Hart. The battle was on as her brother started the match with Undertaker on the ring apron. She immediately stepped away from him, keeping her distance and it wasn't missed by the crowd or commentators.

"JR, I don't think Anca likes the Undertaker very much."

"What was your first clue, King?"

That was quite all right, he didn't feel anything for her one way or the other. She was a tool to be used and then discarded. Taker's eyes swept dispassionately over her, one single brow raising before turning his attention back to the match. It became clear, quickly, that Austin wasn't overly keen on the idea of tagging him in, even when those two fools blatantly cheated, wearing down the Rattlesnake. Shaking his head, he began stalking the apron, then leaned out again, stretching out his hand.

Steve's response was two middle fingers in the air followed by a lot of trash talking.

Undertaker purposefully looked directly at Anca.

"What? What do you want me to do about it? If you want in so damn badly, get in there and whoop some ass, Rigamortis!" Anca shouted over the roaring crowd, folding her arms in front of her chest and looked away from him to stare back at her brother, the ice in her eyes slowly melting and being replaced with concern. It was weird being concerned for her brother and not his tag partner, but Anca had no connections to the Undertaker and preferred it that way. "Come on Steve, get up! Whoop their asses!" She called in encouragement and flipped off The Rock when he yelled at her to shut up.

The crowd cheered, and The Rock's eyes widened, losing his focus as Steve rolled him up for a 2 ½ count. Apparently, Undertaker had enough because he was in the ring and attacked Owen Hart before another double team attack could happen. They cleared the ring, tossing both idiots outside of it and then they were in each other's faces. Steve was trash talking madly and he waved a finger in Steve's face, then poked him right in the shoulder.

"I already told you, boy, safest SOB in the World Wrestling Federation."

"Go fuck yourself!"

If Steve's head wobbled anymore with all the body language he had going on, it was going to wobble right off his thick neck. Taker pointed at the corner. "Go wait your turn, Stevey Weavey."

"Oh, you sumbitch!"

Anca jogged around the ring, since they were on the opposite side, and did the one thing she was against. She managed to push in between them and held her hand up against each of their chests. Then immediately pulled away from Taker and looked at her brother, shaking her head.

"Focus on the match! You are Tag Team champions, now get in there and retain the gold!" Her cool blues turned to Undertaker, a sneer on her face. "And you stop instigating him, Rigamortis."

This time, her finger was poking his chest none too gently while she spoke and immediately wiped her hand off on her leather skirt, acting as if he had germs or something. She barely ducked in time as The Rock and Owen Hart began fighting them again. Hopefully, that was the kind of provoking Vince had in mind. Taker didn't stop provoking her twin because that wasn't how this worked. Anciana would have called Steve out on his crap about not tagging. Anca was going to verbally castrate the Undertaker instead, and that was how it was supposed to be.

"Hey Austin, your sister got any other uses for her mouth?" Taker had to duck when Owen Hart suddenly came flying his way.

Owen caught himself on the turnbuckle, turned and was greeted to a massive boot right in his face. Those two were such dicks.

"You watch yours, Stiff."

Taker was technically the illegal man here and slid back under the ropes, then reached out and tagged himself in, sliding back under again. "Sit. Stay." He snorted, going to beat the hell out of Dwayne.

"Sumbitch."

"What an asshole!" Anca shouted up to her brother, who nodded in agreement and smirked, her eyes moving back to watch the match as Undertaker took Owen Hart to school.

She backed up when he climbed the top turnbuckle and walked the top rope, the agility both amazing and terrifying. He leaped off, his massive arm crashing over the top of Owen's shoulders and the crowd actually cheered him. It was obvious how much Undertaker was loved, but Stone Cold had more love in the crowd and it wouldn't change anytime soon. When Undertaker tagged her brother in, Anca cheered and clapped him for him, once again keeping her distance from the Deadman. She did have better things to do with her mouth, but he wouldn't like any of them.

Being patient was his strong suit and, after he and Austin finished destroying the current pains in their backsides, they were given back their titles. His eyes narrowed in on THE title, the one he was coming for, before catching Anca coming to join her brother, turning his back to her. "Anciana tell you I fucked her three ways from Sunday before she came out here?" He asked, knowing she couldn't hear him because of where she was and the sounds of the fans screaming like the crazed idiots they were. "She asked where the syrup was."

Steve still had all that adrenaline coursing through him, he was still his persona, his amplified self, and he wasn't amused. He exploded, going to clothesline Taker. He dodged out of the way, turning in time to see Steve trying to stop himself from taking out Anca. Steve slowed himself down, but she took it anyway. Steve was staring down at her, clutching his bald head and Taker applauded three times, slowly, sarcastically before shaking his head and stepping through the ropes.

"STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN JUST CLOTHESLINED HIS TWIN!"

"Do ya think the Undertaker knew she was there?"

If she wasn't trained to take bumps like that, if her body wasn't hardened through hours upon hours of vigorous training, Anca would've been out cold. As it was, she was just slightly dazed and slowly rolled to the side to sit on her knees, using the ring rope to pull herself up. "Steve, you really need to learn to watch where you're going, honey." That was a collision and she would be in pain for the remainder of the night, but Anca still had a smile on her face.

"Fuck Anci, I'm sorry…"

"It's okay. I'm all right…"

She draped her arm around his neck and could see the disbelief in Taker's eyes, her own flashing wickedly in his direction. Then, she flipped him off, not overhearing what he said to Steve, but knowing he had orchestrated that to happen. She wasn't completely stupid and leaned against her twin until they reached the back.

"Anciana, are you alright?! Girl, that was a mean clothesline you took!"

"I'm fine Joanie, thanks." She clutched the front of her neck, dropping to one knee and shook the cobwebs out before Steve lifted her in his sweaty arms to cart her to the trainer.

Taker had a lot of explaining to do with this stunt since she wasn't supposed to get hurt.

"That was beautiful!" Vince was, of course, on the scene and looking pleased as punch. "Though Steve, you need to pay more attention to your surroundings. I thought we all agreed we didn't want her harmed."

"That jackass, Taker set me up!"

Vince frowned, studying Anciana before looking at Steve. "Steve… he had his back to her and you could see her. Please explain how that all adds up to him setting you up?"

"He was provokin' me…" Steve sounded like a whiny child and he knew it.

"He's supposed too! Anciana, are you all right? Let's get her to the trainers. I want to see you, Austin, and Taker in my office before you leave."

"Never better, Vince. Just glad I'm used to taking those bumps or that would've really sucked." Anciana winked at him while Steve continued carrying her to the trainers. "You know I can walk, right?"

"After what happened earlier with your memories comin' back and me knockin' the shit outta ya, no – you can't walk right now." Steve hated feeling the amount of guilt coursing through him because it was his fault for letting Taker get the best of him.

"How was he provoking you out there anyway? I didn't hear anything…" Anciana looked confused, seeing her twin's face and bald head turn a deep crimson red. "Stevie…"

"Don't worry about it." Steve gritted out, setting her on the trainer's table and allowed Larry to do his job to look her over. He was NOT a small man by any stretch and knew, no matter what she claimed, part of that clothesline had to hurt.

"You'll be bruised, but other than that, you look good. No concussion either."

"Thank god." Steve whispered out, dropping his head in shame.

"Stevie, it was an accident. It happens, and I know what I signed up for. I'm okay, I promise."

No, it wasn't. Steve had suggested at the meeting earlier that she might get hurt, or maybe he had suggested that Taker hurt her, he couldn't remember now, but he knew he had gotten looks from everyone present for what he had said. And then, then what the hell happened? He hurt her anyway. And Taker had been… he groaned, knowing he couldn't blame the other man, not really because Steve KNEW better.

"How is she?"

Well, speak of the devil.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Mark listened as Larry told him what the what was before surveying Anciana, taking in her face. Now, she didn't have to worry about a confrontation between them, that path had just been laid, thanks to her brother and his inability to hold himself together long enough to process what the hell was going on around him. He had placed money on that inability and been paid out quite well.

"This isn't good. Anca and Taker were supposed to have the confrontation, not Anca and Stone Cold." Anciana groaned, putting her head in her hands and was glad Vince had enjoyed what happened.

What happened to her character going forward though? It was clear as day this bothered Steve a lot more than he let on. Once Larry cleared her, they walked out of the trainer's room and Anciana ignored her husband for the moment, too concerned about her twin. Now that they were reconciled, and she actually remembered him, she could feel his sorrow and guilt.

"Stevie…it was just a clothesline. Do you know how many clotheslines I've taken over the years? At LEAST 10,000 or more. I know I didn't sign up for ballet and there's risks involved. I'll just be a little bruised, nothing I can't handle." She stopped him, cupping his face in her hands and pecked his nose. "Stop beating yourself up right now."

Steve rolled his eyes at her stern tone, knowing better than to defy her and grumbled out an 'okay', kissing the crown of her head. "Are you sure yer alright?"

"Right as rain, I promise. Now come on, we have that meeting with Vince."

Mark had gone with Vince and, when the twins came in, he was leaning back in a chair, hands folded behind his head and his boots up on the table. His head was tipped back, eyes closed, enjoying the downtime. Vince however, was still yapping, the only disturbance in what was an otherwise peaceful moment.

"We play it off like you knew she was there and, on the next show, you make a reference to it, hint at it." Vince explained, gesturing the twins in when he spotted them in the door. They were going to lose the titles anyway, so this worked out great.

"Of course he knew I was there." Anciana spoke up, walking inside the room and sat down beside Steve, not Mark, folding her arms in front of her chest. "He said something that ticked my brother off and moved when Steve clotheslined me." Joanie had gone over it with her, explained what happened while she was in the trainer's room after Mark had left with Vince. "Dirty play, Deadman. But I like it."

"You enjoy the fact I almost took yer damn head off with a clothesline?"

"Gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet, Stevie."

Steve was not happy about this because it meant the Undertaker would be getting physical, not in a nice way, with his twin on national television moving forward. "Sumbitch…"

"Good, we're all in agreement then. Taker will hint at the fact he knew she was there and moved just so Steve could mull over his twin in the ring on purpose."

"Sounds good to me."

"I guess I have no choice…" His eyes narrowed on Taker. "You better watch yer ass out there with her from now on though, jackass."

"Good, now let's all go get some rest. Fantastic work tonight from all 3 of you."

"Go on ahead, darlin'." Mark ordered gently, watching as Vince ushered Anciana out of the room before turning his gaze onto Steve. "You need to pay more attention to what's going on out there, Austin."

"You set her up!"

"No. I set YOU up and like the fucking clockwork wooden doll you are, as soon as I pulled your string, you went off. If you can't deal with your bullshit properly, you have no business out in that ring."

"Come fight time, I'm gonna knock your fuckin' head off yer shoulders, you can bet on that, son."

When they walked out of the room, Anciana took Steve's hand and gave it a squeeze, reassuring him all was well. She wasn't a porcelain doll and had hardened her body over the years, so the clothesline from her brother hadn't hurt nearly as much as it should. "I'm riding with my brother to the next area, so I'll meet you at the hotel." She hadn't spent nearly enough time with Steve and, now that her memories had returned, she wanted to be near her distraught, angry looking twin. "Let me go grab my bag and I'll meet you in the parking lot, Stevie." Kissing his cheek, she bounded off down the hallway with Mark hot on her trail, so many different emotions flowing through her at once.

Just by the bunch of Taker's shoulders as he stalked after his wife told Steve that the Phenom was upset. Of course, he was, Anciana was regaining her memories and, once that final dam broke, she would KNOW the truth. KNOW Taker was lying about everything and Steve smirked at the thought. He could only hope and pray he was there when that happened. He wanted to be there, front row, to see how the Lord of Lies would try saving his ass with that one.

Mark watched as she began grabbing her belongings once they were in his dressing room, trying to read her mood. "You mad at me, Ciana, darlin'?" He asked finally, deciding to go with being direct.

Zipping her bag up, with her back facing him, Anciana shut her eyes briefly and felt the tension between them. "Yes, no, I don't know…" Heaving a sigh, she turned to look at him and wrapped her arms around herself. "I know I asked for your help with the provoking, but…I don't know what you said to him out there, but it set him off. You knew I was behind you, don't try denying it either because Joanie already told me. From now on, if you want to do something physical out there with me, you need to warn me ahead of time. Because now my brother is feeling really shitty over the fact he hurt me out there and now I have to try to smooth things over between you two…again. I'm not mad at you, I just…I didn't think you would purposely do something like that out there. I guess you and the Undertaker really are completely different because the Mark Calaway I know, my husband, wouldn't have done something like that, no matter the circumstances." Tossing her bag over her shoulder, Anciana slipped her ring off her right ring finger and put it back where it belonged for the time being. "I'll see you at the hotel after I calm Stevie down."

"Before you go, Ciana, a word of advice?" He offered, his tone calm and casual. "I know you love your brother, and I know you love me, but the fact of the matter is, darlin', out in that ring and when we have our game faces on, shit is going to happen. I provoke him. It's the Undertaker and Steve Austin, that rivalry was started on-screen long before you were in the picture." He wasn't saying this to be mean, but she had to understand, she had to leave her baggage at the door. "If you can't accept what happens in that ring, you have no business in it. Your brother knew you were there and still charged ahead. He also knows me, he knows I'm not going to stand there and take that hit. I didn't anticipate him not being able to stop himself."

Like he had, when Steve had attacked him, with Anciana RIGHT THERE in the line of fire. And still, Mark had made sure she didn't feel a thing at his own expense. The turnbuckle incident. Mark had protected her instead of squashing her like a bug because of Steve's temper. She understood what her husband said and agreed with him, deciding she would be having a serious talk with her brother on the ride to the next area.

"I'll have to keep taking the hits then to make this storyline work properly."

She was fine with that. Vince was adamant about having the Undertaker and Anca become more physical within the storyline. Steve would either have to accept it or the storyline wasn't going to work, not with her involved anyway.

"I'll see you at the hotel." Just to show there were no hard feelings and she truly wasn't mad at him, Anciana stepped up to him, rising up to kiss him softly. "I love you." Then, she was gone and on her way out to the parking lot to greet her twin.

"You are an evil bastard." Paul declared, having seen Anciana leave with her twin and come back inside to talk with the Phenom. "You knew she was going to get plowed."

"I suspected she might." Mark agreed, inclining his head. "I was giving Austin perhaps… a slim margin, maybe by 10%, that he would stop himself."

"But he didn't."

"Hence the 10%, Paul."

* * *

Well, Anciana didn't look pissed, so Steve wasn't sure if there was trouble in paradise or not. "I'm sorry." He apologized again, glancing at her from his place at the steering wheel and then turned his attention back to the road. "I shoulda known better, honey."

"Just stop, okay? Vince wants me, or rather Anca, to be more physical with Undertaker in the ring, so this all worked out for the best."

Anciana didn't want to talk about it anymore, patting her brother's shoulder and looked out the window, trying not to let what happened bother her. Mark was right; she had to leave all the baggage out of the ring and expect things to happen out in front of the cameras. Steve finally told her about what Mark said to him to provoke him to charge in the first place, after having 2 beers while driving. She warned him they would get pulled over for a DUI and Steve ignored her.

So, Mark was using her and their marriage against Steve in the ring…and she wasn't alright with it. What happened between them behind closed doors needed to STAY there, not be used in front of the cameras. By the time they arrived in the next area and Steve dropped her off at the hotel, it was after midnight. She stepped into the room, dropped her bag on the floor and barely removed her shoes before a pair of arms encircled her waist. The room was pitch black, but she knew exactly who it was that was holding her and kissing her neck. Sex manipulation wouldn't work this time.

"Not tonight, Mark. You got enough of me at the arena." Extracting herself from him, Anciana wasn't surprised when the light flipped on and folded her arms in front of her chest. This time, she wasn't letting him off the hook and chalking it up to him being in character. "You're an asshole. Steve told me what you said to him out in that ring, about us in your dressing room before the match. I'm only going to say this once, so pay attention. Do NOT EVER mention our sexual activities to my brother again. You wanna provoke him? Fine, but our marriage and personal lives are OFF LIMITS, do I make myself clear?" Peeling her shirt off, Anciana tossed it to the side and stood up from the bed, walking over to stare out the window. "Also, you won't be having sex with me at the arena anymore. That was unprofessional, and it won't happen again. You either wait until we get to the hotel from now on or you can jack it off yourself."

"Okay, let's clarify, shall we?" Stark naked Mark walked over to the bar to fix himself a drink. A wee bit of Coke, a lot of Jack, some ice cubes. "It's perfectly fine for you to pour syrup onto yourself, on my lap, and started in on me with your brother watching… but not okay for me to reference sex to your brother?" He nodded stiffly. "Got it, Ciana. Won't happen again." He took a long swallow of his drink, gnashing his teeth against the cold, and possibly in mild irritation. How like an Austin… Hypocrisy to the extreme, he smirked slightly, taking another drink. "Want one, darlin'?"

"No – NO! I do NOT want a drink and I'm NOT going to let you brush this off like it's no big deal! What I did was in the PRIVACY of our damn hotel room while he was here! I did NOT use our private SEXUAL life IN THE DAMN RING!" Was he actually trying to justify his actions by throwing what she'd done to her brother in her face? Yes, yes he was. "I didn't use our personal life at all in the ring, in front of the camera, Mark! You know those situations are completely different and you're just trying to spin this back on me! Leave what happens between us in the privacy of our lives OUT OF THE RING. Stick to the characters only – tell him he likes to fuck his twin or something to that effect because it's not true, but DON'T patronize and provoke my brother about our sex life!" Her Austin temper was up, face red and, the fact he was naked as the day he was born, did nothing for her at the moment.

"You're overreacting, Anciana, simmer the fuck down." He ordered, his tone still calm and perhaps a bit patronizing. "Nobody but Steve heard what I said, so I don't see what your damage is. If you can start fucking with me in front of him, I don't see what your problem is with me provoking him in the ring, where no one heard us. He's not MY brother, darlin'." If he remembered rightly, she only had her back to Steve during that episode, pouring syrup right down her luscious breasts, taunting Steve about what they were about to do. "I'll let you handle the provoking and patronizing from here on out, you're better at it."

Now she was smirking maliciously at him, planting her hands on her hips. "You're wrong about him not being your brother, Mark. When you married me, you became BROTHERS-IN-LAWS. Last I checked, you ARE brothers." That did not sit well with him and she could see the acid boiling in his eyes, reminding her of Undertaker. "I was hoping you would admit you were wrong in what you did, but the almighty Mark Calaway can do no wrong, ever." Steve had been right about that during their talk. "I'm going to bed. You can have the bed, I'm not sharing one with you tonight."

After a shower, because there was no way she could sleep with all this hairspray in her hair. She slammed the door shut and locked it before starting the shower sprays, stepping under them moments later to wash the day and night events away. While she was in the shower, he dressed in black jeans, long-sleeved black thermal shirt, and boots. He stuffed his wallet into his back pocket, snatching his motorcycle keys next. Mark wasn't admitting he was in the wrong because she had set this precedent herself. She could have the bed, he wasn't going to need it. What he did need was another strong drink, a grimy bar, and time away from his wife before he snapped her Austin neck. He needed to think and couldn't do that with her right there, smirking that stupid smile that reminded him so much of her fuckwad, woman beating brother.

It wasn't surprising to discover Mark had left when Anciana stepped out of the shower, her temper simmered and felt her heart break. Didn't they promise each other not to let what happened in the ring effect their personal lives? Yes, they had. She could remember voicing that concern to Mark prior to getting involved in this storyline. The fact he put the syrup situation and provoking Steve about their sex life on national television astounded her. They were completely different scenarios!

Anciana regretted doing that syrup bit and had apologized to Steve for it during their drive here for the house show. She wouldn't be part of the house shows, just the televised events, which Anciana was fine with. Pulling on the red nightgown, Anciana could feel tears burn her eyes and immediately took it off, replacing it with a light blue one, with undergarments, before crawling into bed. She stared at the wall for a while and finally succumbed to sleep, a few tears slipping down her cheeks.

Mark just didn't see it the same way. He figured since she had basically used sex as a weapon against her brother, saying a few choice words weren't that big a deal. The cameras hadn't picked it up. Fans couldn't have heard it. He felt Anciana was blowing this out of proportion. One thing was for sure, he wasn't going to be railed at again, not when she was just as much in the wrong. Hence him taking a break from her; he already knew he was liable to snap and had dealt with way too much Austin tonight. His stomach rolled at that, remembering that smirk on her face and groaned, dropping his head on the bar counter with a thud, raising one hand to gesture for a refill. He had potentially fallen for a woman he might potentially kill.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

After that blow up, things were…tense between Anciana and Mark the entire day, neither saying more than 3 words to the other. This was not a good omen since they were scheduled to go to her parents the following day for the family barbeque/reunion. Anciana didn't want to bring Mark with her while they were fighting, so she told Steve it would have to be rescheduled for another day. When he asked why, she just shook her head negatively and pleaded with him to drop it. She did not want to talk about her marriage problems with her twin brother.

Steve did not like the sound of that, wondering what could've happened between the Deadman and his sister, narrowing his eyes. "Are you sure about this, Anci?"

"Yeah, I'm not ready to see them yet. I'm sorry, Stevie." Kissing his cheek, she stepped out of the car and headed inside the hotel, heading up to her and Mark's room. When he asked what time they were leaving in the morning to go to the barbeque, Anciana heaved a sigh and rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. "We're not going. I'm not ready to see them yet and…I just wanna go home on our days off."

Next week would be hectic since it was Summerslam, so they had zero days off due to media appearances, signings and whatnot to promote the event. What the hell… Mark frowned, walking over to place his hands on her shoulders. She was so tense, and she was tensing even more under his touch. He began massaging her shoulders and her neck, working out the knots he could feel.

"You remember your family, right, darlin'?" He asked, watching her head nod. "Don't you think it's time you go home and see them?" At her shrug, Mark gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his chest and bent down to kiss at her pulse point. "I don't have to go, if it's me that's stopping you, Ciana."

Tears welled in her eyes at his words and affection, her head lulling back against his chest. "I don't want to go while…we're fighting." She whispered those last words out because it killed her to fight with her husband. "I don't want to go without you because I'm going to tell them about our marriage. Or I was going to." Sniffling, Anciana turned around to bury her face in her husband's chest and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, her tears soaking through his skin since he was shirtless. "I don't…I don't want to fight anymore, Mark. I love you and I just want to be with my husband."

Why couldn't she stay mad at him for more than a day? It was the same thing that happened when he confronted her about the roleplaying and lack of sex. Anciana had broken then and did what he wanted; here she was doing it again, catering to him, without realizing it. This storyline wasn't worth losing her husband over and if they kept going down the road they were, divorce would be inevitable. Someone had to swallow their pride and Anciana decided to do it for the sake of their marriage.

"I-I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, please I don't want to fight with you anymore. Do whatever you want in the ring, just please…no more fighting…"

He blinked, staring down at her head a bit shocked. His mind was not so shocked, it was processing and filing this information away, knowing he was a son of a bitch. This was his longest, most involved, mind game to date and Mark had really gone balls in, hadn't he? Maybe too far in.

"Darlin'…" He soothed, reaching down to gently cup her face between his hands, tipping her head back, so Anciana was looking up at him. Bending down, Mark began kissing away her tears. "Don't put me above your family, Ciana… you need to see your parents, and they need to see you."

"Not without you. You're my family just as much as they are." Anciana proclaimed, staying steadfast with this decision and cupped his face to bring his mouth down on hers, kissing him for the first time since their arena sex the previous night. It'd been nearly 24 hours since she was thoroughly kissed by her husband and felt her heart pound vigorously in her chest, not breaking it until they both needed oxygen. "If we're going, we go together, or we can go home, talk things over and spend the next 2 days naked in bed. But where you go, I go. I don't…I can't face them without you, Mark. I walked out on them and abandoned my family at age 16. I need your love and support when I go see them, so if you're not going, I'm not going, and we can always go another time. Please don't make me do this alone. I need you…"

Sometimes Mark wanted to throttle Anciana until her head turned blue and popped off her shoulders. Other times… he pulled her against him, hugging her tightly and sighed, letting his head rest on top of hers. "Darlin', your family deserves to see you after all this time." He urged quietly, stroking her back. "And if you want me there, I will be." Mark would even behave himself and not fight with her brother, or provoke him in any way, shape or form. When he felt her tensing, hesitating, Mark moved until he was crouching, holding her hands and stared up into her face. "You don't have to do this alone, Ciana, but you have to do it."

"Okay, then we leave tomorrow morning at 9."

Anciana squeezed his hands and laced their fingers together, her wedding ring back on where it was supposed to be. She dropped as well, wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him tightly, crying for a different reason now. They weren't fighting anymore and back on the same page, for now. She whispered in his ear how much she loved him, how sorry she was for being foolish, and felt his arms tighten around her. If only she knew what awaited her in the next week. Anciana pulled back enough to remove her shirt, tossing it to the side and kissed him passionately, knowing they had a couple of hours to spare before needing to get rest for tomorrow's barbeque. For the next 3 hours, they made slow, passionate love to each other, not rushing it and wanting to make it last forever.

* * *

The next morning, once again, they barely made their flight on time and Steve joined them this time since he was also going to the barbeque. He seemed happy she'd changed her mind, but all Anciana felt was butterflies. Huge, fluttering butterflies in her stomach at seeing her family again for the first time in nearly 2 decades. Mark could feel her trepidation, holding her hand throughout the flight and kept whispering words of encouragement in her ear. Without him, she wouldn't be able to do this. The plane landed at a quarter to noon in Dallas and they drove the rest of the way to Victoria. It was a small, hick town, not a huge population and…it hadn't changed a bit. Anciana could feel the nostalgia wash over her and gasped, seeing the park her and Steve used to play at when they were kids.

"Stevie, do you remember the swing incident?" She asked with a soft laugh, hearing him groan and leaned her head back against the seat. It was good to be home in Victoria again.

Victoria, Texas was a small, rinky-dink town he wouldn't have looked at twice. It was a typical Texas town, even he could see that. Mark would bet money, when high school football season hit, the town went apeshit. That seemed to be confirmed when the twins began discussing high school, apparently, Austin had done football. He had preferred basketball himself. Given the fact that it was boiling, Mark had skipped the long sleeves and instead went with pale blue jeans, black biker boots, and a denim vest that he had buttoned up. Her folks had seen him on the television, they knew about his tattoos. Hair pulled back into a low hanging ponytail, he had even forgone the sunglasses for now, though they were in his denim vest pocket.

"Now, what're your folks' names, and what do I call them?"

"Our Mom's name is Beverly and our Dad's name is Ken. I guess you can call them by their names. What do you think, Stevie?"

"Now how the hell should I know? Yer bringin' Satan home to meet 'em, so let him dig his own grave."

"Steven, that's not nice."

"It's true though."

"Fine, I'm married to Satan and wouldn't change it for the world." Anciana winked at her husband, feeling his hand move from hers to squeeze her thigh. She had on blue jean shorts that were frayed at the hem and a red tank top, her hair in two separate braids hanging over her shoulders.

"At least you admit it." Steve grunted, folding his arms in front of his chest and couldn't believe he was stuck riding in the backseat. "I just speak the truth, he knows he's the devil."

"Okay enough devil and Satan talk, we're almost here and you both promised to be on your best behavior. I'm nervous enough as it is." She felt like she was going to blow chunks at any second, taking another deep breath.

There was no way that Steve was going to behave, promise or not. He was going to be on safe ground, so to speak, and in a spot where Mark couldn't retaliate. Austin wasn't always a complete idiot. "I'll check with them." He said finally, shrugging when Austin shot him a look.

"Call 'em ma and pa."

That had even him snorting in amusement, shaking his head. "No thanks."

Steve couldn't wait for Taker to meet his brothers, that was going to be hilarious.

"Oh god pull over…" Anciana barely made it out of the car as Mark lurched the car to a sharp stop, emptying the contents of her stomach. They were both out of the vehicle and by her side in seconds with wide eyes. "I-I can't…I can't, I can't…" Shaking her head repeatedly, Steve pulled her into his arms and held her close, her face burying in his chest. "They hate me…they have to hate me for what I did!" This was a full-on panic attack and she'd felt it build up for several hours throughout the flight here. Now they were just blocks away from their parents' house and Anciana was having second thoughts. "I-I wanna go home…I can't be here right now." From head to toe, she was shaking like a leaf and clinging to her brother for dear life.

"Yer kiddin' me, right?" Steve blinked down at her, trying to pry her off of him, but that wasn't happening. She was actually bruising him with how hard she was holding on. "Anci, they forgave you a long time ago, honey. You know that."

She was shaking her head and Mark stepped over, placing a hand on her shoulder. What he wasn't expecting was for her to turn and apply her octopus grip onto him, or just how hard she was clinging. "Darlin', it's been 16 years, you have your memories back and you owe it to them, and yourself, to put all that where it belongs. In the past." He rumbled encouragingly, trying not to grunt with her tight grip. "Your parents love you."

Steve held the door open for Taker to get back into the truck, maneuvering so Anciana's head didn't get bashed since she was still clinging.

Anciana was the baby of the family, technically, even though she and Steve were twins. He was born first and 2 minutes later, she came into the world. Their brothers, Frank and Cyrus, were older than them by a couple of years. Her mother was insane to have her kids so close together, but never once did Anciana feel their love waver. She used to be a HUGE Daddy's girl, wanting for nothing and usually got what she wanted by batting her big crystalline eyes at him. Steve had their Mom wrapped, he was a Momma's boy.

When she stormed out of their house and got herself emancipated at 18 years old, Anciana broke their hearts and was scared to death to see them again. Not only was she in a life-threatening accident, but she was married to the man who ran her down in the first place. Steve drove the rest of the way with her straddled in her husband's lap, her grip not ceasing around his neck and kept her face buried in it, tears streaming down her cheeks. When Steve pulled into the driveway and announced they were there, Anciana snapped her head up and looked at the house…the same house that hadn't changed just looked a little weathered, she stormed out of 18 years ago.

"Oh god…oh god…" She had nothing left in her system and began hyperventilating with wide eyes.

"You called me that this morning." Mark said it bluntly, ignoring the look Steve shot him and was rewarded by Anciana glaring up at him. "Calm your shit, woman."

"Bev, Bev, they're here! Anci is here!"

"Hellfire…" Steve got out of the truck, glancing through the open window at the pair. "I'll hold 'em off and give her a few more minutes."

Mark nodded, watching Steve go intercept the parents. "Hey, cheer up, Steve and I are actually working together." He chuckled, brushing his lips against the top of her head. "I'm right here with you, darlin'."

"You are such an ass." Anciana muttered, no malice in her voice and didn't realize he'd distracted her, forcing her hyperventilation to cease. "I know you are. I couldn't do this without you." She pressed her forehead against his, refusing to kiss him until she had a chance to wash her mouth out with Listerine or brush her teeth. Vomit did not taste good. "Okay, let's do this."

Sucking in another sharp breath, Anciana climbed off Mark's lap and managed to step out of the truck with ease, dusting herself off. She wiped the remaining tears away from her cheeks and pinched her cheeks to put some color in them. There was nothing to be done about her red-rimmed watery eyes, not worried about it because as soon as she saw her parents again, she would end up crying all over again. Mark grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together and she looked up at him, gaining some kind of silent courage from him, before putting one foot in front of the other. The first person she spotted was…

"Momma?"

"Oh Anca, my baby!"

Beverly was pretty sprightly for her age and that was due to the entire family being naturally athletic. The men were prone to beer bellies if they didn't watch it though. She spared a look at Mark, figuring most people did because he was freakishly tall, before throwing her arms around Anciana.

Mark got the hell out of that woman's way, that was a Mom on a mission and, even the Undertaker knew when to back off. He shot Steve a look, shaking his head when Steve made a 'it's women' gesture. That was pretty universal. His gaze moved onto the men. Well, he was being sized up and had a feeling Austin hadn't made him very popular around here. Even without saying he was Anciana's husband, he was willing to bet that the name Undertaker had come up over the years.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

The moment her mother tossed her arms around her, Anciana completely broke down and held onto her for dear life, crying her heart out. She couldn't talk for several minutes, the women refusing to let each other go. Steve was busy roughhousing with his brothers while Ken stayed off to the side, the king of the Williams clan, simply waiting patiently for his wife to release their daughter if she ever did.

"I-I'm so sorry, Momma…" Anciana sobbed, trying to watch her strength so she didn't crush her mother's back.

"Oh baby, my sweet baby girl, I know…I know…" Beverly crooned, stroking her daughter's hair and didn't bother wiping her own tears away. "Anca, Daddy and I know why ya left, baby. We know and it's okay. You had to find yer own way." She had a deep southern drawl that was soothing and loving at the same time. "We never stopped lovin' you, not for a second."

That made her sob harder.

This was nauseating. Mark really hoped Anciana didn't go on a family kick and decide she wanted to meet HIS Mom. She'd probably hate the old bitch; there was a reason he was the way he was after all. It was hereditary. All he could do was stand off to the side and observe, listening as Anciana and Beverly made up, or reunited, and then he watched as Daddy -Ken- apparently got tired of waiting and squeezed his way into the lovefest, snatching his baby girl up.

"Why the fuck is the Undertaker here?" Kevin asked in a whisper.

This didn't mean a damn to Mark because he was just using her, but it meant the world to Anciana to be reunited with her Texan loud family again. However, she had no idea what Mark was thinking or feeling, which was a good thing and clung to her Daddy, who rained kisses all over her face. Once they were finally done hugging and kissing on her, Anciana turned to face Mark and walked over to take his hand, lacing their fingers together.

"Mom, Dad, you probably know who this is on television, but…this is Mark Calaway." She let that sink in and took a deep, shaky breath. "My…"

"HOLY FUCK, YOU'RE MARRIED TO THE UNDERTAKER?!"

On her left ring finger was the proof, the diamond sparkling under the sun and all Anciana could do was nod, slowly moving her gaze back to her parents. "My husband." She finished, chewing her bottom lip nervously as her father narrowed his eyes at Mark. "I-I know this comes as a shock to all of you, besides Stevie…"

"Boy, why the HELL didn't you tell us 'bout this?" Ken felt like he was going to have a stroke, not believing his baby girl was married and WHO her husband was.

"I told him not to. My memories hadn't returned of you guys at the time and…I didn't want to bombard you all at once without seeing you face to face again."

Beverly refused to lose their daughter again and stepped up to Mark, extending her arms, surprised when he actually bent to give her a hug. "Welcome to the family, Mark. Now both of you get inside. We have a lot to talk 'bout and Ken, back off." The warning in her tone was not missed. Momma called the shots around here.

"Yes dear."

Mark was willing to bet that the stubborn streak came from Beverly and the impulse to be stupid came from Ken. He also knew Beverly was the one who was going to set the tone as to whether or not he was accepted. Holding his hand out without looking, Anciana automatically laced her fingers with his and squeezed gently.

"For the record," He bent down to whisper in her ear. "Your mother scares me." When she began giggling, he felt something in his chest get funny, act stupid. "Quiet, wench."

"You'll get used to her. She's sweet and fierce at the same time."

Her qualities came from their mother more than their father, which stood for Steve as well. They walked inside the house, after sharing a quick kiss, and sat on the couch. Beverly assured Mark it wouldn't break under his weight and gestured to the boys she had birthed and raised.

"Mark, would you like a beer, honey pie?"

Anciana shrugged when he looked down at her, telling him silently to do what he felt best, what came naturally and smiled when he accepted the offer.

"So, how the hell did this come about?" Scotty demanded, sipping his own beer with Steve and Kevin, all of their eyes on their sister's husband and brother-in-law they didn't know they had.

Anciana lowered her eyes, not releasing Mark's hand for a second as Beverly walked back out with Mark's beer, handing it to him. "You regained yer memories, didn't ya, Anca?"

"Not all of them, just the family and my trainer, Sierra Martin."

Kevin spit out of his beer. "WHAT?! You trained under HER?!"

"Y-Yeah…"

"Holy shit!"

"That broad has one HELLUVA punch." Steve grunted, time having faded the memory of his wounded pride and now admiration was in his tone as he considered the Christmas haired, feisty bitch that had laid his ass out. He rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. "Wouldn't mind seein' her again."

Mark actually snorted his beer, bringing one hand up to cover his mouth and nose, the other moving to set his beer down on the coaster on the coffee table.

"Shut up, Calaway."

He was laughing now, honestly laughing.

"I don't think Sierra wants anything to do with you, baldy. And it's not because of your looks."

"Then why the fuck not?"

"Steven, language."

Steve lowered his head, clearing his throat. "Sorry, Momma."

"She's into girls." Anciana blinked when Mark actually shot beer out of his nose and cursed, her eyes, along with everyone else's, wide.

"Oh, dear…I'll get a towel…" Beverly hightailed it into the kitchen for Mark, shaking her head.

"Yer jokin' right? That was said outta shock value, right?"

"Afraid not, my brothers. She's not into men at all. She tried hitting on me and I had to inform her I wasn't into women." She shrugged as her brothers, father and pained husband gaped at her. "What? I didn't experiment or anything…"

"Lord Jesus, help me…I can't take no more surprises from you today, Anca."

"Explains the haircut and the colors…" Mark recovered quickly. "Thank you, ma'am." He took the towel Beverly was holding out to him, beginning to mop up his mess and himself. "And why she nailed your ass."

"I did have it comin'." Steve admitted sheepishly. "Yer sure she's not uh, bi?"

"We are NOT havin' this conversation, Steven!"

"Did you make this?" Mark noticed the hand towel was not… out of a store, and it was knitted… cute.

"SEE? At least someone notices!"

Getting on her Momma's good side was the way to go for Mark. The boys would give him a hard time, including her Daddy, but they all listened and followed Momma. She was the true workhorse of the family. Daddy worked to pay the bills, but she kept the house running, which was a bigger job than people realized, especially on a farm.

"So Mark, tell us a little bit 'bout yerself. I know yer from Houston, Texas, but…that's pretty much it, honey pie. I'd like to get to know my son-in-law better." Beverly requested, sipping her iced tea and smiled warmly at him, encouraging him to talk.

Honestly, Anciana didn't know much about him herself other than he was from Houston, Texas and had a beautiful ranch home. Other than that, Mark was very quiet about his personal life and had just recently mentioned his mother. Had this dead mother fucker told his wife about his half-brother, who was currently on the roster? It didn't seem like it, so Steve decided he would be the one to drop THAT bombshell right now.

"What about Kane? You know about him, Anci?"

"The guy with the red and black mask?"

"Mmmhmm – seems yer husband neglected to tell ya they're brothers…in real life, not just on-screen."

Anciana gaped and looked from her twin to her husband, crystalline eyes wide with both wonder and shock. "You and Kane are…family? He's your brother? That would make him…"

"Our brother-in-law." Steve finished with a smirk, cracking open a fresh beer and decided to let Mark swallow THAT one. Payback was a bitch in the Williams household.

"You didn't know, baby?"

"N-No…no, I…I thought it was all on-screen…" Why hadn't Mark told her about this?

"His name is Glen, not Kane." Mark corrected without missing a beat, shooting Steve a smile. Then he gave his attention to Anciana because she was the one who mattered. "No, Glen is my real life brother. Half, we have different daddies." He explained in a deep voice. "And he's shy."

"He ain't so damn shy 'bout whoopin' ass."

"You ever talk to him backstage, Steve?" Mark's tone held a note of warning. When Steve hesitated, he snorted. "Exactly. See, he wears that mask because he was caught in a fire, and it scarred his face, down his side… his leg." He frowned, tracing a finger along his cheek. "And he's had some surgery, but it ain't fixed his voice very well, so…" He shrugged, not bothered by it since it happened a long time ago. "He knows about you, Anciana, but he's not one for introductions until he's ready. And with you having the accident, and the amnesia, and then havin' a mini-stroke every time you get a memory back, on top of now workin' with me and Steve… I didn't want to overwhelm you with a brother-in-law, who may not ever want to meet you. He got this job because of me, but Vince wanted to use some of the truth to run his character and storyline, help explain why Glen is the way he is, cause its truth. No actin' really needed."

Now that Steve thought about it, Kane didn't really socialize.

"My goodness, it sounds like the poor thing has had a rough life."

Now Anciana was fully facing her husband, studying his face and reached up to run her fingers down the side of it like he did moments ago. "So that storyline Vince did with him and you…is true? How…you hadn't seen him in 20 years?" Mark nodded, and she cracked a sad smile, wondering if he'd told her this before the amnesia or kept it to himself prior to the accident. "I'd like to meet him, if he's willing, one day. No pressure though, will you tell him that?" He nodded again, and she kissed his cheek, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Us too…when the time is right, of course. We're a friendly bunch here and none of us will think ill of him." Beverly added, refusing to ever judge anyone without getting to know them first. So far, she approved of her daughter's choice in husband and thought he was very polite and handsome.

"Hellfire, I'll start talkin' to him too." Steve drained his beer, knowing he had to be buzzed to say something like that and crushed it in his hand. "That man needs a beer or 3 for bein' set on fire and survivin'."

"They love you already and your brother. Just the way our family is."

"Ken, why don't ya get started on the grillin', sweetheart? Steve, Kev and Scotty, go start settin' the table and NO roughhousin' in my kitchen or I'll stick my foot up yer asses." Beverly decided to give Anciana and Mark a minute alone, ushering them out of the living room and smacked Steve's head when he muttered something about 'being a slave'.

The moment everyone was out of the room, Anciana took a drink of Mark's beer, swished it in her mouth, swallowed and then kissed him, showing him she wasn't mad he kept Kane – Glen – a secret. "I love you. Your family is my family. Your pain is my pain. I…understand why you didn't tell me about him or your Momma. Hell, maybe you've already told me all about them and I just can't remember. Thank you for telling me though and being honest."

"I didn't even tell you then, Ciana." He admitted gruffly. "Hell, maybe I never would've if not for Steve." At her look, he hesitated and scrubbed a hand down his face. "Glen and I don't always see eye to eye… it's… complicated as hell. He knows we're married, he knows who you are, but… he's not gonna come up to you and introduce, or want you to do the same, you understand? He ain't…" Mark searched for the words, his green eyes taking in her face. "He's not always right in the head." That was an understatement and, again, he blamed their mother. "After the accident, he was kept in a medical coma for quite a while and then it took years of surgery and therapy for him to get to where he is now. We were kids and… our mother wasn't exactly Mom of the year back then. His Daddy had to take over."

Her eyes went wide as another realization crashed over her. "Bill…Bill is his father, isn't he? Just like the storyline?"

Mark's nod made her lean back against the couch, mouthing 'wow' because it was hard to believe. She was under the impression the storylines were just that…storylines. Vince was a ruthless son of a bitch for bringing real-life situations into his product from the boys in the back.

"I won't say anything and…I'll keep my distance from Kane…Glen, sorry." She corrected in a soft mumble, clasping her hands in her lap and didn't know what else to say to her husband. "Well, you wanted me to…spend time with my family, so let's join them in the kitchen before my brothers some searching for me." Standing from the couch, she held her hand out to him and smiled when he took it, pure love and admiration shining in her eyes.

Mark brought that hand up and kissed it before letting go. "I'm stepping outside, darlin', your momma's cooking is going to make my stomach growl." As if on cue, it did.

He rolled his eyes at his own self before stooping to grab what was left of his beer. Mark hadn't even finished the first and, from the whooping outside, he was guessing Steve was on his way to getting toasted. Steve Austin toasted wasn't anything unusual. He had to wonder what other potential curveballs that bald bastard was going to try throwing at him. Watching Anciana bounce into the kitchen, Mark shook his head and stepped on the porch, prepared for anything.

With apron and all, Anciana was put to work as soon as she stepped foot in the kitchen…along with being bombarded with tons of questions regarding Mark.

"I gotta know how you managed to marry the fuckin' Undertaker and we didn't know 'bout it."

"Especially Stevie boy here."

"Hey man, I already told ya jackasses I didn't know where she was! I didn't know the dead bastard…"

"Steven, call him Mark for god's sakes. He's your sister's husband and that's not polite, young man."

Anciana grinned at her mother, giving her a side hug and felt a kiss on the crown of her head. "Thank you, Momma."

"I just have one question and then I'll drop it."

"What?" Anciana asked, drying a dish her mother just washed and rinsed.

"Do ya love him? Or is it 'cause of the amnesia and him takin' care of ya?"

"At first, it was because of that, but…I fell in love with him all over again. Apparently, we had a whirlwind romance in Vegas and got married a month after meeting each other. It sounds unbelievable…"

"Damn right it does."

"Steven…"

"I still don't think yer marriage is real, Anci, not until I get some legitimate proof. I'm sorry, sis, that's how I feel."

"Fine then, I'll get a copy of our marriage license and…"

"A picture of ya two would be nice. Didn't they take one at the chapel or wherever ya eloped?"

Come to think of it, there really was no proof they were married other than the marriage license he asked her to sign after bringing her home from the hospital.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

"Here." Steve walked out onto the front porch, spotting Taker sitting on the steps staring out into the yard. When Taker looked back at him, he was holding out a longneck. "Momma sent it." He dropped down on the steps as well, though he kept some distance between them. "You managed to charm her, just like I knew you would."

Mark studied the cap, making sure it hadn't been tampered with; he wouldn't put it past Steve to piss in the bottle or something. "You know me, I'm predictable."

"People are gonna ask questions. About yer license." Steve took a long pull from his own drink, staring out into the yard as well, eyes iced over. "Pictures… witnesses…"

"Ain't got no pictures, Steve. One, we were in a hurry. Two, you really think the Undertaker is going to be photographed with a fat Elvis?"

"So, what the fuck is yer game then, Taker? Did ya track her down 'cause of me? Cause of Julia? In case you forgot, asshole, you won that round. She didn't end up marryin' me and ran off with some other jackass after screwin' you." Steve was tired of beating around the bush, not looking at the man because he didn't want to lose his temper. "Why are you fuckin' around with my sister? Why can't you leave her alone? I don't buy you two are married…and her memories are returnin'. Her memories are gonna come back and yer gonna be shit outta luck when the truth DOES come out. And when it does, I gotta wonder if yer gonna feel an ounce of remorse for the amount of bullshit she's gonna have to go through. Cause it's gonna tear her apart since she fuckin' loves yer dead ass." The whole time he spoke, his voice was low and quiet, which wasn't a good sign since Steve was usually loud. "This will kill her…and you won't give a shit, will you?" That was a rhetorical question.

"You're drunk, Steve." Mark retorted, taking a pull from his second beer, having to wonder just how many this asshole had to pull this stunt on his mother's front porch. The mention of Julia had him alert for a punch, though.

"Not even close." Maybe buzzed. "What I am is concerned for my sister. Even if this marriage is for real, which it ain't, you've proven in the past you ain't got any problems puttin' hands on a woman."

His fingers tightened on the bottle. Mark could very vividly remember that year, trying to recover from people thinking he was a woman beater. "Lines, brother-in-law of mine."

"I don't give a shit where we're at right now, jackass. That is my TWIN sister in there yer fuckin' with and I'm not gonna let you hurt her."

Steve felt a special connection with Anciana and had from the moment they were born. Even as toddlers, they were in sync together and going into their kid years, they finished each other's sentences A LOT. Even after 18 years of not speaking to each other, that connection never truly died, and Steve always wondered where his sister was. He figured she'd cool off after a few months and come back home, but that never happened.

"Yer an evil bastard and yer gonna fall flat out yer face once her memories fully return. And I'm gonna laugh when she drops yer ass like a bad habit and I'll be there to pick up the pieces of her heart yer destroyin'. Do yerself a favor and get outta this now before that happens." Before too much damage was done to his sister to where she was never the same again.

Mark was up and walking away. He had promised Anciana he would behave. Hell, both he and Steve had. Mark wouldn't be the one to break that promise. That, and when he finally murdered Steve Austin, he was going to do it somewhere private, so he could make the mother fucker scream.

"What's going on out here?" Beverly had come out to tell them it was time to wash up for dinner and Steve was red, looking a bit glassy-eyed and Mark was now a few feet away, rather pale and pinched looking.

"His marriage is a fuckin' fake and he's gonna wind up hurtin' Anci!" Steve proclaimed flatly, draining what was left of his beer and then snatched up Mark's to drain it too.

Now, this was just embarrassing, for all of them and Mark sighed, raking a hand along his ponytail as he approached the porch. Green eyes took in the Williams clan as they all filed out.

"Steve, I think you had enough to drink… Anciana is obviously happy with him."

"Because she don't know no better. He's fuckin' hit a woman before, Dad! Who's to say he ain't gonna backhand her just like he did Jules?"

"Wait, HE'S the one who messed up her face?"

"Right after… sleepin' with her." Steve shook his head, grimacing. He hated thinking about Jules and Taker together.

Ken looked at Mark, they all were. "Mark?"

Mark took in all their faces, finally seeing the apprehension on Anciana's. She hadn't been there for that conversation, not the full one anyway. She looked… worried and figured he didn't blame her.

"Tell her the truth, Calaway. Tell her that you weren't happy with just makin' people miserable in general, but you decided to fuck my fiancée and then beat the shit out of her! Her face was battered, she wouldn't even stick around she was so damn scared."

"Mark?"

"It's… true."

"I-I don't care about any of that! I told you that already, Steven! This man has NEVER raised a hand to me!"

"No, he just ran you the fuck over and then claims yer married! Are ya that delusional, Anciana? Did he fuck yer mind up THAT much?"

"Steven!"

"It was an accident…for god's sake…"

"No, it wasn't! He wants you to BELIEVE it was! Yer memories are comin' back and yer gonna find out I'm right when that time comes! You watch how fast he turns on ya and beats the fuck outta ya if ya try to leave him!"

Tears formed in her eyes. "I love him, Steve…"

"He's warped yer fuckin' mind, girl!" Steve stumbled over to her and grabbed her harshly by the shoulders, shaking her. "Listen to me – LISTEN TO ME, PLEASE!"

Her brother was drunk off his ass right now and currently bruising her shoulders as Anciana tried prying him off her. "Stevie, please let me go…you're hurting me…" She winced when he applied more pressure and was shaken so hard, her teeth rattled.

"YER NOT THINKIN' STRAIGHT! HE'S GONNA END UP KILLIN' YA! WHY CAN'T YA SEE THAT?!"

"WHOA, Steve, let her go now!" Kevin, the sensible brother out of the three, tackled his younger brother to the ground away from their shaken sister. "Scotty, help!"

Anciana could only stand there and cry, immediately clutching Mark's shirt as soon as he came to her, wrapping his arms around her tightly while they watched her twin have a complete meltdown.

"HE'S THE FUCKIN' DEVIL! HE'S SATAN AND HE'S GONNA-" Steve did not get a chance to finish because Scotty had put him in a sleeper hold and knocked him out temporarily.

"Jesus…how many beers did he have?"

Anciana couldn't answer, scared to death and her shoulders, which were bare, were already bruising.

"Let's go inside, Anci." Beverly coaxed, gently pulling Anciana away from her husband, hearing her daughter wincing in pain. She gave Mark a curious look, a bit puzzled by the expression on his face.

That expression was shock. Pure shock. He had NOT expected that and, the only logical conclusion was, this family was fruit loops. Mark had confessed to something he hadn't done and Anciana didn't care. Steve lost his mind and his family… were staring at the man like he was the crazy, woman beater. Mark hadn't touched Julia, at least not in a way she hadn't wanted. However, with all these Williams out staring at him, when Beverly had said his name in that questioning tone… Everyone at work already assumed he was a woman beater. Nobody had asked questions or cared to know the truth. He had stopped volunteering quickly and knew a lot of it was his own fault for the things he did and said, but… abusing women had not been one of his crimes.

Ken was now in Mark's line of vision. "You okay, son?"

Telling them they were fruit loops was probably a bad idea.

"You want to tell us your side of the story?"

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

"Well, either you laid hands on Julia and you may do it to my daughter, in that case, I'll hafta kill you now and save her the grief. Or, someone is lyin' and so are you."

He had taken the blame tonight for some very simple reasons. One, this was Anciana's family, Steve's family, he wasn't expecting Austin to act a fool. Mark was expecting them to beat his head in because their son's words would carry more weight. Second, and this one confused him because he wasn't supposed to care, but he did. When all was said and done, Anciana was going to need her family. Especially her stupid twin, who she obviously cared for a great deal now that she had a good portion of her memories back.

Mark was CARING, rationalizing and justifying it in seconds. This was ultimately about Austin, punishing him and screwing with him. She was just a tool, and he cared for his tools… he felt that bitterness on his tongue. Anciana wouldn't be able to fall back on her twin if she knew the truth; hell… his family was likely to beat his ass if they did. He folded his arms over his chest, eyes drifting towards the passed out Austin.

"You got a drinkin' problem, son?"

"No, sir."

"Walk with me."

* * *

"Momma, I'm fine…"

"Don't you lie to me, young lady." Beverly scolded, still not believing how Steve acted towards Anciana and took a deep, shaky breath. She was shaken up, her hands trembling, and hoped Kevin and Scott took care of Steve. "You better tell me the truth. Has that man hurt ya?"

"No, he hasn't…" Getting run over with a car notwithstanding.

"He hit you with a car, Anca…"

"It was an accident, Momma...and he took care of me. He brought me back to Houston and let me heal, not to mention paid all of my hospital bills." There were quite a few and had taken a lot of money out of Mark's pocket.

"Honey, he coulda done that cause of legal reasons…"

"But we got married before the accident…a month before, actually…"

Beverly heaved a sigh, not liking the bruising on her daughter's shoulders forming and grabbed her hands. "Sweetheart, anyone who gets married at a chapel of any kind has at least one photo taken. Some kinda proof from the happy day. Don't you find it a little suspicious there are no photos? Just a marriage license ya signed several months later. Ya should've signed it AT the chapel. There's holes in this story, Anca, and I know Stevie is just tryin' to protect ya."

What her mother said made a lot of sense and Anciana could feel her heart begin to crack down the middle. "I-I love him…I love him, Momma! I fell in love with him…again…"

Beverly cupped her daughter's face in her hands, tears in her own eyes. "But does he love you? Do you truly feel in yer heart everythin' he tells you is the truth? If so, I'll drop this right now and never speak of it again. That man doesn't like yer brother and the feelin's mutual. I just have a hard time believin' ya two met on a whim in Vegas without any other reason or provocation."

"W-What do you mean?"

"I mean, he could've tracked ya down 'cause of who yer brother is since they don't like each other and this whole Julia fiasco is Mark's fault. He's the one who stole yer brother's fiancée away. I don't know 'bout the beatin' part of it and chasin' her off, but…ya need to keep yer guard up 'round him and don't lose yerself in him."

What if what her mother said was true? What if Mark had lied to her the entire time and tracked her down in Vegas all to get back at her twin? It would destroy Anciana if that was the case and she began crying, burying her face in her mother's chest as the woman held her close. She didn't know what to believe anymore.

* * *

"You don't like my son."

"No, sir, I don't."

"Why's that?"

Mark inwardly groaned, wondering if Ken was serious. Had he even met his own son? The man was a drunk, had a raging temper, was an obnoxious asshole, and that was only a quarter of the reasons.

"Steve has… a drinking problem." He expounded, which was really stating the obvious.

A drinking problem that Mark had paid the price for. Hell, he could've probably let that slide, except Steve's stupid ass had crowed for days about the almighty Undertaker being just another scumbag like the rest of them. Maybe he was. Well, he definitely was, but that was his little secret.

"You steal his woman?"

"Julia?" Mark snorted at that, shaking his head. "No… no."

"Sleep with her?"

"Yes."

"And how the hell is that not stealin' a man's woman?"

"Because she came to me, after…" Mark stopped, hesitating.

"After…?"

Ken waited patiently, seeing Mark was struggling to find the right words to say and placed his hand on the man's shoulder. "It's alright, son. You don't have to say anythin' if you don't want to. He hit her, didn't he?" It was more of a statement than a question and all Mark could do was nod. "He hit her in one of his drunken rages and she came to ya for help and one thing lead to another…and I'm gonna guess my boy don't remember a goddamn thing about it."

They'd been down this road once before with Steve's high school sweetheart, Laura. The same thing happened – Steve had drunk too much at a party, underage, but back in the day it wasn't a big deal for kids to party it up after a football game. Laura was Steve's world from freshman year until graduation…and Ken could recall the girl coming to Beverly for advice a time or two with a black eye. Ken NEVER hit his wife, not once, so he wondered where these violent tendencies stemmed from.

"Why do you blame yerself and take the fall for his actions? Yer innocent, he's not and he's my boy, love him to death, but he's gotta learn from his mistakes and coverin' for him ain't the right thing to do."


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Of all the people to be talking to about this, Ken Williams, the father of Stone Cold Steve Austin, was not the person he had ever figured it'd happen with. "I don't blame myself." He assured the older man. "I found her in a bar. Was in there to have a few drinks and she was hidin' from him, nursing a beer and the entire side of her face…" It had been bruised, swollen, her eye had already started swelling shut. "She told me what happened, and I sat there with her. Got buzzed and one thing led to another." He shrugged because that part was simple enough. "The next mornin', several people saw her come out of MY room, with her face looking even worse and Julia took off. She left that day and never came back, so there was nobody to say otherwise."

"You try tellin' Steve the truth?"

"Couple times, at first. Didn't end so well."

"So why lie today?"

"Nobody has listened before, for one, so I wasn't expecting all his family to… beg your pardon, sir, listen now. And… Ciana…"

"Ciana…that's a new one."

Ken stroked his chin thoughtfully, saying it a couple of times to see if he liked it or not. Nobody else called her that, to his knowledge, but it somewhat fit when it came out of Mark's mouth. Probably why he had come up with the nickname in the first place.

"My daughter…has a heart of gold, Mark. She's headstrong, steadfast in her beliefs and when she sets her mind on somethin', when she has a goal, she does everythin' in her power to achieve it. As I'm sure yer aware. She never gives up on her goals or the people she loves. When Steve was accusin' you of all that shit earlier, she flat out said she didn't care about it. And I can tell she's tellin' the truth. I can tell she loves you more than anythin'. And if ya come clean to her 'bout what really happened, she's gonna believe ya, especially after what happened with her brother. Steve…he's always been volatile. Good, headstrong kid…until he touches the booze and then he becomes a completely different person. I think you need to sit that boy down, while yer here, and tell him the truth 'bout what happened since he doesn't remember. Whether he believes ya or not, at least he'll hear the truth and you can move on. Hell, maybe it'll jog his memory and he'll remember what he did wrong and finally get some help for his problem. That's on him though, but he's hatin' on you for no reason and thinkin' yer gonna hurt his sister when HE'S the one who does the hurtin'. Now ya can either listen to an old man like me or ya can continue takin' the fall for what he did, the choice is yers. If it was me, I'd be openin' them eyeballs of his and makin' him realize the truth."

Obviously, Ken did not realize just how deep this hatred between them went and Mark wasn't about to bother trying to 'open Steve's eyes'. What he WANTED to do was take a pair of tweezers and pull Steve's eyelids off. "Ciana loves that idiot." He grunted in a flat tone. "And with her starting to get her memories back, on top of everything else she has going on… it's not right, forcing her to have to possibly choose between me and her family, especially after she just got you all back." That's what it would come down too.

"She does, yes, but she also knows right from wrong. She won't choose between you two, I'll tell ya that right now. That girl…she'll find a way to love you both, even if ya hate each other." Ken clapped him on the back with a friendly smile. "Think 'bout what I said, son." Then, he headed off to check on the food and slap the steaks on the grill. They were having barbequed drumsticks and steak with all the fixings for the meal.

Once Anciana calmed down, her concern fell to her twin, who was currently upstairs sleeping. She could not remember a time when Steve put his hands on her in a violent manner. He legitimately scared the hell out of her and she didn't know what to think about the situation. Walking over to the window, she saw Mark and her father talking and it seemed they'd come to an understanding because Ken had put his hand on Mark's shoulder. What were they talking about? Sighing, she walked away from the window to start helping her mother continue with the food, trying to get her mind off of things. It wasn't even 2 PM and all hell had broken loose in the Williams household. Noticing her Dad walk away from Mark, Anciana told her mother she was going outside for a minute and slid the glass door open, closing it before heading across the lawn where her husband stood.

"Mark?"

She went to touch him and immediately backed off when acidic eyes turned to stare at her…eyes that reminded her so much of the Undertaker. He was livid…she could feel it radiating from every pore of his body and didn't blame him a bit. Steve's antics had completely ruined the day and reunion with her family, not to mention running his mouth about Julia.

"Let's go." She extended her hand to him, resignation flooding her eyes. "We'll go back to the hotel or we can make the 3-hour drive to Houston and spend the rest of our time off at home. I don't want to be here any more than you do, and they'll understand after what happened. So let's go."

"Go visit your mother." He ordered gravely. When she shook her head, he frowned. "Anciana, you haven't seen them in how many years? 18? Go fuckin' visit your family! Stop basing shit around me!"

Mark wasn't even mad at HER. Hell, she was doing what he wanted her to, making him the center of her world and he was pissed. What the hell was wrong with him? Anciana was shocked by his outburst and he didn't blame her for a second.

"Darlin', just… go. You can't keep tryin' to run off on them." Because she did, a lot and had an excuse all the time. He got being afraid, but after 18 years, and seeing how they had reacted to seeing her after so long… "Go on." Mark kissed the crown of her head before walking over to Steve's somewhat stirring body. Stooping, he pulled Steve onto his shoulder, hoisting him up.

"Got a swimming hole out back."

Nodding, he headed that way. Time to sober up or drown the Rattlesnake.

"Mark, what the hell are you doing?!" Why the hell did her brothers bring her sleeping twin from downstairs and outside? "Don't-!"

"Relax Anci, he's just gonna dunk him and wake him up. No big deal."

"No, no he's not! You don't understand how much they hate each other, Scotty! Go make sure they don't kill each other right now!" She shoved her brother in the direction where Mark walked, feeling someone come up behind her to place their hands on her shoulders.

"Let them work it out, sweetheart." It was Ken, good old Daddy trying to calm his little girl down. Some things never changed. "They're men, let them deal with it."

"But-!"

"Anciana, they may hate each other, but I don't think Mark is capable of actually harmin' Steve. Now come on, get back inside with yer Momma and let the men be men and handle their business."

"Dad…" Anciana groaned out as he guided her back into the house, her eyes looking out across the land and could faintly see Mark still carting Steve.

When would this madness end?

Finding the waterhole easily, after using his heels to shuck his boots, Mark waded right in. He got about knee high and tossed Steve Austin's drunk ass right out into the water. He counted to 10 and began smirking when the idiot surfaced, sputtering and coughing. That was not a wakeup call anybody wanted to experience, and Steve sobered up quickly. His head hurt, but that was due to the sleeper hold he had no memory of.

"What the FUCK, Taker?!"

When Steve tried getting past him, to dry land, Mark shoved him right back into the water. "We're going to get a few things straight, son." He said coldly. "About your ex-fiancée, your drinking habit, and my wife."

Steve's blue eyes widened. What the hell had he done?

Scott headed back first, assuring Anciana they were just talking, and he was told to take a hike. Anciana didn't believe that for a second, but obeyed her Daddy to stay in the house and help Momma with the rest of the sides. By the time Mark and Steve headed back to the house, dinner was served and they both looked stricken. They were soaking wet and Steve had a pale expression on his face while Mark remained stoic. Anciana had gone out to the truck to grab them both a fresh change of clothes and had towels waiting as well, stepping out on the patio to hand one to each of them.

"There's clothes to change into inside. So take your shirts off, so you're not dripping everywhere in the house." She knew Mark went commando, but wasn't sure about her twin.

"Anci…"

"Not now, Steve. Just listen to Momma and do what you're told." She headed back inside, her shoulders sporting the handprint bruises on her shoulders.

Mark took the clothes she had offered and walked over to the truck, stripping behind the door. Anyone who may have come up their drive was going to get a glimpse of his pale backside, but the family itself was shielded from his gingery front. It only took a minute to redress and that was due to wet jeans clinging and being a pain in the ass. When he was done, he was barefoot in the warm grass and draped his wet clothes over the bed of the truck before digging around in his bag. He crooked a finger at his wife, who was still on the porch, waiting until she was in front of him.

"Let me tend your shoulders, darlin'." He suggested quietly, holding a jar of salve they all used at work.

"They're not that bad…" Anciana grumbled, turning around when he did the finger twirl motion and grimaced the moment his hands began rubbing the salve into the bruises. Once the pain subsided, it was just Mark's hands massaging her shoulders and neck, turning her to jelly. "You take such good care of me." She murmured softly, feeling his hands slide down her arms to wrap around her waist, pulling her back against him. "Thank you, handsome." Mark muttered something incoherent against her neck and kissed her pulse point, making a shiver shoot down her spine. "I love you. Your past is your past, but that doesn't change how I feel about you. You believe that, right?"

"For now."

He chuckled, unable to help himself, it was so stupid. Mark wanted to kill Steve, laying hands on his sister this way. But… the man was probably throwing up, again, because he had done that already, twice, which was why he had vacated that swimming hole as fast as he had. Steve's own guilt and the knowledge he had forcibly put into his head, the memories Mark had managed to unbury, was punishment enough.

"I know what you say about my past, darlin', but it's important… that you know and believe this about me. No matter what I am or the things I've done… beating a woman isn't one of them. I never lay hands on Julia, not in a violent or angry way." Mark cared that she knew the truth about that because he had a feeling it was going to be something he would need to rely on in the nearby future.

Turning in his arms, Anciana looked up into his eyes and reached up to caress his face with her hand, smiling softly. "I believe you, Mark. You're not capable of hurting a woman that way. You're not a woman beater…and neither is my brother. He just has a drinking problem and he needs help." Drinking and driving had shown her how much he actually did drink on a daily and nightly basis. "He can tell me anything he wants about you, it's not going to change how I feel. I love you and he's gonna have to get over it." Taking the towel, she wiped some remaining water from his chest and pressed a couple of soft kisses against it before simply nuzzling, hugging him close.

Any man who hit a woman as hard as Julia had gotten it was a woman beater in Mark's personal opinion, but he held his tongue, remembering what Ken had said about Anciana finding a way to love them both. More like making excuses for them both, because she had given him a free pass on his past. He had to wonder, his arms going around her and pulling her tightly against him if that pass would hold up when her memories returned.

"Is he still throwin' up?"

"Actually, I think he's cryin'." Ken leaned in the door, watching Anciana and Mark, sighing. "You seem upset, Bev."

"I think he loves her," Beverly said slowly, moving to stand beside her husband. "But I don't… I don't know, Ken, somethin's off about him."

By the time they left, it was well after 9 PM with Beverly hugging her daughter several times, making her promise to come home at least once a month to see them. Anciana promised at least 20 times before her mother reluctantly released her. Then followed Dad, Kevin, and Scott, each making her promise the same thing their mother did and to stay in touch. Steve didn't want to see anyone and stayed in his room, currently sleeping after half-ass eating his dinner. Anciana would talk to him on the road, but she just wanted to go home for their last day off before Summerslam week began on Friday.

House shows, Raw Is War, media appearances and signings, then the actual pay-per-view event that following Sunday. It was going to be hell on earth and exhausting…and Anciana was looking forward to it. Slipping into the truck, Anciana leaned her head against the seat and stared out the window, closing her eyes. It had been an emotionally exhausting, taxing day and she was out before they hit the highway headed to Houston.

After the day Mark had, this was going to be the longest 3-hour drive in history. Mark spared a glance across the seat, not surprised that Anciana seemed to be sleeping already. He bet she was emotionally drained. Didn't blame her. Reuniting with her family, getting to see firsthand just what a douchebag her brother was, he'd be exhausted too. Flipping on the radio, turning it to a classic rock station, he kept the volume low, drumming his fingers in time to the music as he thought about the day's events.

Summerslam was probably going to be a bloodbath.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Kane and the Undertaker were reunited.

When the HELL did that happen?

There had been a conspiracy going around the locker room regarding the brothers being back together, but Undertaker kept denying allegations. Vince McMahon was the one who called Undertaker out on it and, once again, he denied it. Now, Anca and Steve Austin stood on top of the stage with a microphone in hand. Steve shouted he knew all about them being together and admitted against both The Undertaker and Kane, he didn't have much of a chance at retaining his title at Summerslam. Instead of responding, Undertaker lit the ramp on fire, a trail of fire going all the way to Steve and Anca. Steve instantly shoved her to the side away from the fire, his blue eyes wide and Undertaker rolled his eyes in the back of his head to end the segment.

Later on, that night, was a Hell in a Cell match with Kane against Mankind, Undertaker on the outside. Near the end, the cameras panned in on Anca walking down the ramp and stopped in front of the Cell, waving three fingers at Undertaker through the steel since he was on the opposite side. Suddenly, a hole formed in the ring as Stone Cold emerged and began beating the living hell out of Kane. He had promised at the beginning of the night, during the first segment, he would take one of the brothers out and his choice was Kane. Anca clapped and cheered her brother on, backing up when the Undertaker stalked around the Cell trying to find a way in, but it wasn't happening.

"Go on, try to save your little brother, Rigamortis!"

Undertaker ignored her. He had no use for the little bitch at the moment, not when his brother was getting the hell knocked out of him. Gnashing his teeth, he gripped the cage, feeling the cool metal in his fingers and mentally nodded. Up he went, Taker began scaling the cage, taking his time because these things were not meant to be climbed. He could hear Steve below him, talking trash and beating down his brother, not overly amused.

He and Austin had a very stiff relationship since that day at the William's residence, and their aggression on television… seemed to be spiking. Once up top, he flicked his hair back and began stomping on the roof of the cage. Kane took a Stunner and his eyes flashed acid as Austin flipped him off with both hands. A second later, his foot was through the cage. He could hear J.R. screaming from his place, loud mouth, and then… then the cage started rising.

Icy blues watched the Hell in a Cell rise from the flooring up to the rafters with Undertaker on top of it. It was quite the sight to see, she recalled a similar moment back at King of the Ring earlier that year when he was standing on top of the cage after tossing Mankind from the top through an announcer's table. It was the craziest thing people ever witnessed happen to a human being in the WWF. Anca nodded when Steve shouted if she was alright, tossing her a beer as he got out of the ring and toasted her, beer splattering all over them.

She laughed, downing some of it and rose her hand up as they backtracked up the ramp while the Cell remained up high until they were in the back. Steve had busted Kane open with a steel chair, right before his brother's eyes, and was on a high like no other. So, it was no surprise, once the show came back from commercial break, that Undertaker was in the ring with Kane and calling Steve out, promising to gain revenge before the night ended.

Druids. Singing in a foreign language. Vince wanted an answer. He would possibly get one. The lights dimmed, the stage engulfed in blue. The druids appeared, with a casket, rolling it ever so slowly down the rampway. Once the casket was where it belonged, the Undertaker's music hit and so did he. Whoever was shining that laser penlight in his face was an asshole. He raised the lights before slipping into the ring, retrieving the microphone that had been slid into the ring for him.

"At Summerslam, I will take what is rightfully mine," He began, surveying the crowd before his gaze moved towards the stage. "And I'm gonna do it, like a man. You see, Austin, I'm going to be right there in your face. I'm not gonna jump you from behind, and you need not worry, about my brother. Because Kane has his own agenda at Summerslam. I've been upfront from the beginning, so highway to hell, Summerslam 98, it's gonna be you, me, and the World Wrestling Federation title. But tonight, you decided to make this… personal. Don't you realize, boy, when you jumped on Kane, you jumped on me? So what I would like for you to do, Stone Cold Steve Austin, is take a ride on the highway to hell tonight!" He lowered the microphone for a moment before considering something. "And bring Anca along for the ride. She may learn a thing or two."

Oh, that son of a bitch, Anca thought angrily, currently wearing one of the druid robes and stayed just out of sight on top of the stage. Nobody could see her, not even Undertaker, and she was waiting for her cue. However, Vince McMahon came out to demand an answer if he was Undertaker's friend or foe. She watched as Undertaker gave a half-smile, extended his hand and then grabbed the owner of the WWF by the throat, slamming him to the mat seconds later. Just then Stone Cold came out of the casket, the crowd going ballistic and yelled in Vince's face while the man was flat on his back. Then he stood up, removing his shirt and talked trash to Undertaker, ready to get it on.

Anca had her cue, took the druid's robe off, and made sure Undertaker could see her do so, before heading down the rampway. Just then, the casket opened again, and she jumped back, eyes wide as Kane emerged to get in the ring and began beating the hell out of her brother. What the HELL? How the HELL was he in the same casket as Steve without him knowing?! Her eyes narrowed on Undertaker as he stood off to the side, watching Kane dismantle Steve and Anca was tempted to get on the ring apron, gritting her teeth.

Taker stood back in a corner, watching as Kane dismantled Steve Austin, his eyes occasionally straying to Anca, who looked like she was considering getting froggy. For her sake, he hoped she didn't. Kane wouldn't distinguish her as friend, foe, man or woman at the moment. When, however, Austin showed an inkling of getting one on Kane, he stepped forward. Not happening, Taker glanced back at Anca again, pointing a finger at her and crooked it.

"Austin, your sister want to a ride on the dark side?"

Steve was out of the ring, grabbing a chair.

"Fuck you, Rigamortis!"

Anca had walked around the ring and had handed Steve the steel chair he now had in his hand. He slid into the ring just as Undertaker and Kane got out, both of them heading up the rampway. Anca flipped the double bird and slid into the ring to stand side by side with her brother, a chair in her own hand. It was basically an invitation by both Austin's to step foot in the ring and get a chair upside the skull. She crooked her finger, beckoning them while Steve continued talking trash, his bald head bobbing back and forth like it usually did. Just to tick the Undertaker off more, provoke him, Anca did the eye roll and finger slash cross the throat like he did before laughing, winking at her smirking brother.

Kane shot his brother a look, head tipping towards the ring in a silent question.

"No, brother," His voice was picked up by the cameras that were following them. "Let Austin and his slut sister have their fun." They were walking up the ramp backward and his eyes were fastened on Anca. "Come Summerslam, both their sordid souls belong to the Reaper." Well, his eyes flashed wickedly as the thought crossed his mind because his wife would be visiting said Reaper later tonight.

"Seen that." Kane muttered in his harsh voice beneath the mask.

"Mmm."

Now, they were in character and Anciana was aware of that, but being called a slut…hurt a lot more than she thought it would. Character, he was the Undertaker – it wasn't Mark calling her that horrible word. Anciana did not break character and continued celebrating with her brother in the ring for a few more minutes before they leaned over, pouring a can of beer each all over the casket. Then they rolled out of the ring with Steve's arm around her shoulders and saluted the fans a few more times with middle fingers before heading behind the curtain.

"Damn it, Stevie, you SOAKED me in beer!" Anciana groaned as soon as they were out of the cameras and smacked his bald head as he laughed at her. "You're such an ass."

"Tell me somethin' I don't know, honey."

"Yeah – yeah, I'm going to change. I really don't like smelling like a brewery."

"Wench," Mark growled from his place off to the side, the acid already fading from his eyes, Kane at his side. "You about made me laugh out there." When she gave him a look, he mimed the throat thing, shaking his head.

"Funny."

Steve's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at that, staring at Kane intently.

Kane made a noise, not appreciating being gawked at and punched Taker in the arm before walking away.

He watched his brother go, considering him.

Anciana tilted her head slightly at his retreating form, her eyes softer and back to the crystalline blue instead of icy blue. "At least I made him laugh…maybe?" She sidled up to her husband and giggled at his growl, his mouth capturing hers in a passionate kiss. "I don't know what made me do that out there. It just…came naturally to me, I guess, being an Austin and all."

"That was funny as hell, Anci. You almost made ME break character."

"It wasn't meant to BE funny though." Anciana pulled away from her husband and groaned at the smell of beer permeating the air. "I'm gonna kill you, Steven. You doused me with that damn beer!"

"Woman, if yer out there with Stone Cold Steve Austin, ya better get used to bein' doused."

Anciana rolled her eyes, feeling Mark grab her hand. "Definitely time for a shower and I'm doing it here because I won't destroy the seating in our rental. I'll meet you in the parking lot in a little bit, Stevie."

"Sounds good." Steve watched them walk off and went to his own dressing room to change, deciding he'd shower at the hotel.

Mark had to wonder if she would wear a white t-shirt or something along those lines from here on out, smirking as he glanced down at her. "Hey darlin'," He was glad she hadn't ripped him a new one about him calling her a slut, half-been expecting it. He could never tell with an Austin. On second thought, the white t-shirt thing might be pressing his luck. "You smell delicious." He teased, halting when he spotted Glen. "What?"

Glen cocked his head.

"Glen, Anciana. Anciana, Glen." He caught her hand before she could raise it.

He nodded his head. "Hello."

"And there he goes…" Mark shook his head as Glen turned and walked away. "Apparently, he's curious about you."

"Wait!" Mark stepped in front of her, her eyes also full of curiosity about her brother-in-law, but the big man kept trucking. "He could've at least let me say hello back or something…" She mumbled, feeling rejected and the smile on her face had diminished, looking up at her husband. "And I smell delicious? No, I smell like a brewery, so if you think beer smells delicious…you have issues, handsome." She squealed out when he lifted her over his shoulder, smacking her jean skirt clad backside and carted her the rest of the way to his dressing room for a much-needed shower.

"I'm a man, of course, the beer smells delicious. Smells like fun times and sex." He laughed, carting her through the door and then set her down. "Hey," Mark cupped her chin in the palm of his hand, smiling gently. "No need to get down about Glen, that's just the way he is." He had seen the rejection flicker through her eyes and he could see it showing again. "I love you, darlin', but it wasn't about you. He doesn't think like that. He does what is okay for him and that's pretty much where he stops… until he's sort of comfortable with you at least. The fact that he acknowledged you tonight was pretty big. For him."

"He'll get used to me and we'll be good friends before you know it."

Anciana brushed her lips against his, standing on her tiptoes and peeled the beer-soaked top over her head, dropping it to the floor. She had a black bra on since the top was black, but it was also soaked with beer. Steve was a DEAD MAN. No pun intended. Sighing, she slid the jean skirt down her legs and stepped out of it before unsnapping her bra. Her back was to Mark as she slid her arms out of it, dropping the material to the floor in the growing pile and then slid out of her panties and black tennis shoes. Her skin glistened with the beer under the lights as she headed into the bathroom attached to Mark's dressing room and turned the sprays on.

"Oh, can you grab my shampoo and conditioner out of my bag please?" She called over her shoulder since the bathroom door was left open before stepping under the sprays.

Rolling his eyes, Mark did as he was asked before taking a deep breath, arena damp bathroom smell, and beer. "Delicious."

He winked at her before leaving her to her privacy. Anciana had said there would be no more sex at the arenas, at work, and… he was adhering to that. Her rules. Grunting, he dropped down onto the bench and began working his boot off, taking in the scratches in the material from where his foot and then calf had gotten stuck in that steel cage. Vince had warned him he would raise it; Mark hadn't expected to still be stuck during that part. Those cages were strong, but they needed better support if the Superstars were going to be climbing them. Anciana and Kane being good friends, he had to chuckle darkly at that one. Bless her heart.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Over the next several days were media appearances, signings, and charity work for the WWF, along with interviews to promote Summerslam. Anciana spent most of the time with Steve since she was his sister on and off-screen, which the fans found out during the interviews. She lost count how many times she said the same thing over and over again, but never once let her smile falter. It was a whirlwind, her hand felt like it would fall off and by the end of the night, she was bushed. Mark was too. They hadn't had sex throughout the week, due to how busy they were, and hardly saw each other.

Before they knew it, Summerslam morning had arrived and Anciana felt a tension in the air. Mark was already up and gone for his morning workout since he had media appearances and a signing to do before heading to the arena for the show. They would meet up later on at the arena, if they had time, or they would simply see each other when she walked out to the ring with Steve for their match.

A change was in the air – a big change – and Anciana could not put her finger on what it was.

"Tonight."

"What about it?"

Mark was tired, but not physically, more like mentally and emotionally. It had just been a harrowing week. He was so tired by the end of the day that he was passing out almost as soon as he hit the bed and Anciana was the same way. This was new to her and he imagined the whirlwind leading up to the pay-per-view had been harrowing for her as well.

Glen arched an eyebrow, his hair for once pull back at the base of his neck. He wasn't wearing his mask, but that was due to it being only them and his back was to the door. If someone came in… he had a plain surgical mask, in black, to put on nearby.

"Your wife."

His wife… who tended to do what felt natural in the ring and that wasn't a bad thing at all; it made her character interesting. "Hmm.. good question. It is a pay-per-view… things always get a little hectic during those, don't they?"

He nodded, his muscular arms glistening as he pumped iron.

"If, by chance, something happens to her tonight, may I ask a favor?"

At that, Glen snorted. His brother had some serious balls on occasion. "What?"

"Assist her."

He was quiet for a very long time, finally letting out a long, annoyed growl before nodding.

* * *

"Wait…you want me to what?"

"Take a chokeslam in the ring…by the Undertaker."

Anciana could only gape at Vince, blinking and was sure flies would get in from her dropped jaw. Was this old man CROCKED in the head?! He wanted Mark to chokeslam her in the ring for interfering in the match?! What the HELL?

"Umm…"

"What the hell does Taker think about this?" Steve demanded, not surprised when Vince cleared his throat awkwardly. "He doesn't know about it yet, does he?"

"Well…no…but I'm sure he'll do what's best for business, Steve. You two will do the same thing and she'll be safe. Mark is a great and safe worker in the ring. There's nobody better, no offense, but you're a little snug in the ring with your punches."

"Yeah – yeah, you go talk to Calaway and get back to us." Steve had a feeling Mark would shove Vince's head up his own ass for this idea and contemplated going to see how it went down in person.

"If he agrees, will you do it?"

"I mean…yeah…if he agrees, sure." Anciana really had no idea what else to say, her eyes still wide and watched Vince saunter out of Steve's locker room. "What the hell?"

* * *

Mark heard what Vince had to say, already dressed for the event, even though there was still plenty of time before the main event. Hell, the show hadn't even started yet. "I'm sorry, could you say that again?" He asked, hearing Paul chuckling from behind him where he sat with Glen, playing a game of cards. "I could've sworn you just asked me to chokeslam my wife."

"He is rather attached to her, isn't he?"

"Mmmhmm."

Vince hadn't missed the fact Kane was more active in Mark's life these days, or at least around him a bit more. He supposed that was partially his fault, this storyline he was running. However, seeing the brothers, with Bearer, was… nerve-wracking, actually.

"She said she's up for it."

Glen tossed down a card, sticking one leg out from the table and tapped his foot on the ground. When Vince looked at him, he shook his head curtly.

"No… she didn't. She said to ask me."

"Look here, I don't ASK, I TELL. This is MY company, you work for ME and you will do-" Vince swallowed when Mark's hand was around his throat, wondering how the hell that had happened.

Ever so calmly, he raised McMahon off the ground and walked him out the door, finally dropping him in the hallway. "I'll get back with you after I talk to my wife, _boss_."

Mark didn't have to go far because Anciana was outside of his dressing room and shook her head down at Vince, feeling him take her hand to guide her inside. She had on a deep blue off the shoulder top that had a sparkling silver skull on the front. Austin 3:16 was on the back across the top half and she had on a blue jean skirt that was frayed at the ends. Her hair was once again in corkscrew curls, eyes decked out in midnight blueliner with some glitter. Her lips were painted a gloss, foundation to hide any blemishes since they'd be in front of millions for the pay-per-view. Black boots were on her feet that were knee-high and zipped up the front, but didn't have any kind of heel.

"That's about how I thought it'd go…hi." Her words had trailed off into a greeting, spotting Kane for the first time since he shyly said hello to her on Monday. "Bill, always a pleasure." Her eyes moved to her husband, who was staring down at her hardening. "Look, I told him I'd do it ONLY if you agreed and if you don't wanna do it, just say the word. I left this completely up to you, Mark."

"Did Vince also tell you that a chokeslam hurts? Regardless of who delivers it?" Paul asked, shifting back to the card game after nodding at her, reaching out to tap Glen's hands gently. "Mark can't bring you down slowly; it'll make it look terrible and the speed… with the impact-"

"Hurts." Glen finished, eyes on the game.

"What they said."

Mark pulled her into the room properly and shut the door behind them, hearing Vince cursing up a storm. Vince could eat a few dicks right now for all he cared. He studied her thoughtfully, running a finger along the front of her top, the design.

"You could always come be the Undertaker's minion." He grinned down at her, rolling his eyes when she shook her head, those corkscrew curls of hers bouncing everywhere. "Have you ever taken a chokeslam, darlin'?"

"Yeah, but…not from a man your size and I understand what Bill is saying. Kane too." Anciana wanted to include him since he was in the room, refusing to ignore her brother-in-law. He didn't have to talk to her, but she would acknowledge him regardless. "And you know that would ruin your character, if I became your minion, handsome. We talked about this already." She patted his chest, crystalline eyes full of amusement and excitement. "I know it will hurt, but…I'm willing to risk it if you are. My body is trained and prepped to take bumps, so…it can't be THAT bad, right?"

Kane very audibly snorted.

"Won't know until we try, but it's up to you. I won't do it if you're against it. I trust you, Mark."

"No."

Paul was silent, hearing Taker moving over and looked up. He was staring down at Glen with a very curious expression on his face.

"Why not?" He asked curiously.

Glen sighed, rolling his eyes under his mask. He made a few noises, working his jaw as he considered it.

"Son, just spit-" Paul shut up when Taker raised a hand for silence. One thing he would give the Undertaker credit for was his patience with Glen.

"Gym." There was a hint of 'dumbass' in that word.

Their conversation at the gym, he remembered. Things on nights like this got… wild, sometimes out of control and there was a definite spark in the air tonight. Something big was going down and Mark was… eager for it, whatever it was. He was curious.

"Fair point, bro." He ruffled Glen's hair absentmindedly.

That was Glen's cue to shove Mark away, they were done for the night. He got up and stretched, eyeing Anciana before making his way out the door. He glanced back at Mark, got a nod and nodded in return.

"What on earth…"

"Darlin', I can't promise you that things won't change out there." Mark warned, ignoring Paul in favor of his wife. "Get your brother onboard, so we can make sure there are no surprises… or I might fuck up."

Steve was onboard…with the stipulation that his sister got to slap the taste out of the Phenom's mouth. Needed some kind of provocation for a chokeslam or this wasn't going to work. Anciana wasn't crazy about the idea at first, but as Steve explained it to her, the psychology of it, she reluctantly agreed. Mark left them to get ready for the match and Steve asked if she was really ready for this, to take this bump, by her own husband. He still didn't believe they were married, but…there was something different about his twin tonight. Something he couldn't put his finger on.

"I was born ready."

Nothing more had to be said after that as he proceeded to shift into Stone Cold Steve Austin, doing his pre-match warmup. Suddenly, Anciana bolted out of the dressing room and down to Mark's, once again knocking on his door. This time, he was alone and Anciana gazed into his emerald eyes, pressing a finger to his lips before he could utter a word.

"I love you." For some reason, she felt she had to say it before the match and brought his mouth down on hers, kissing him with such fire and passion, pouring every ounce of feeling into it she could muster up. "Don't ever forget that." She whispered against his lips once the kiss broke, their eyes locked again. "See you out there, handsome." Leaving him standing there in the doorway of his dressing room, Anciana jogged off and tried calming her thundering heart down.

What the hell was going on with her tonight?

Well, that was dramatic, what the hell had lit her ass on fire? Mark watched as she jogged off, frowning, a finger moving to his lips. He knew there was something in the air tonight and, so far, he was chalking it up to being Summerslam and this explosive angle between him, Austin and now Anca. Of course, the explosions were largely in part to the real-life conflict between him and Steve, though… since that day out at his parents, Steve had mostly minded his manners and so had Mark. He knew none of it was done, not by a long shot, but they had silently agreed on a temporary truce, just for a little while… for Anciana's sake. Maybe the change in the air was the end of that truce and his eyes lit up evilly, tinging a venomous shade.

* * *

Undertaker was the first out to the ring, stalking with purpose and rose the lights with a game face on. It was game time – the night had finally arrived, and he planned on reclaiming what he felt was rightfully his. Anciana had butterflies the size of Texas fluttering in her stomach, but didn't show nerves and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Never in a million years did she think she would be in the wrestling business, with her twin brother, at one of the biggest events of the year in WWF. She could tell her brother was in full character and didn't bother asking if he was ready to do this. She KNEW he was ready.

The crew set up a pane of glass with his Stone Cold character on it and when the sound of glass breaking echoed throughout the arena, the actual pane of glass shattered into pieces, revealing him and Anca. She clapped for her brother as usual as he stalked to the ring, shaking his bald head and talking trash. The feeling in the air was electrifying and made the hair on Anca's arms stand up. She didn't get in the ring because as soon as the bell rang, the fight was on as they proceeded to throw punches at each other. There was NOTHING soft about the blows either, that much Anca could tell and she pounded the mat, cheering her brother on.

"JR, my heart can't handle how hot Anca looks tonight. I'm gonna faint!"

"King, focus on the match and stop starin' at Austin's sister."

Eventually, Mark would slap the taste out of Lawler's mouth. The man was LOUD, and his gaze shot to Anca for a brief moment, before shaking his head. He and Austin had just taken turns punching each other into opposite corners and Steve apparently had been thinking along the same lines he had. Truce was over. Tonight was going to be winner take all and he wanted his title back. The only thing about tonight that had been laid in stone was Anciana's bump and Vince was an asshole. He'd do it, she'd be fine.

Everything was going smoothly with the match, for the most part, when her brother made a mistake. He kicked Taker in the chest and the man's head whipped up, the top of his head connecting with Steve's chin. Anca watched as her brother fell to the mat like a sack of potatoes and she could tell he was legitimately hurt. The lights were on, but nobody was home. The referee, Earl Hebner, was checking on him while Taker walked around for a few seconds before picking Steve up to continue the match. That wasn't happening. Anca hopped up on the apron, yelling at Taker to leave her brother alone. The referee tried getting her off the apron and she pie-faced him while continuing her tirade at Taker. When he got close enough to her and grabbed her upper arm, she hauled off and slapped the taste out of his mouth, sending him reeling backward a step or two, his hand leaving her upper arm.

"Don't you EVER touch me, Rigamortis!" She growled, eyes nothing more than ice and gritted her teeth, hoping she gave Steve enough time to recover from that unfortunate incident.

Now, Taker had been walking around for a moment because he was trying to shake the cobwebs. He had a hard head and Stone Cold's chin wasn't soft either. Bashing into him, at that speed, that hard… he was feeling dazed as hell. Anca slapped him, which didn't help the pounding between his ears and he reacted automatically. Hand on her throat, one going to her back and he was lifting her. Taker had her up over his head, her weight allowing him to raise her pretty high and it was when he started bringing her down that he 'came on', inwardly screaming FUCK. She landed, and he simply stared down at her, his face blank. Snorting, Taker slid out of the ring, shaking his head again and leaned forward, grabbing her feet and dragged her out under the bottom rope.

"Ciana…" He whispered, head down so nobody would see.

That slam was met with FULL force and her back was on fire, her head jarred. There was no give and Anciana had a hard time seeing straight, a dizzy spell coming on. She was seeing two of Taker instead of one, that wasn't a good sign at all. Granted, she had expected the chokeslam to happen – they had planned it to where she had to slap him, which would trigger it to happen.

"M-Mark…" Her eyes rolled in the back of her head and her body slumped to the floor, the darkness overtaking her. He left her laying out by the ring in front of the entrance and continued the match with Steve.

"She better be okay!" Steve growled, low enough to where only Mark could hear and focused on the match for the time being.

That's when Kane arrived.

As per their agreement, Glen had been watching the match from backstage. When Mark had lifted Anciana up for that chokeslam, he had seen his brother's eyes. They were glossed over and, apparently, Steve Austin wasn't the only one with 'light's on, no one home' syndrome. Carefully, he bent down and gathered her up, draping her gently across his shoulder, just in case she vomited. He'd rather it go down his back than the front.

"Fuck off." Taker growled back.

Steve was completely out of it, trying his best to stay with the match and had to have this big bastard carry him through it. When he was slammed on top of the announcer's table and saw Taker leap off the top turnbuckle to crash into him, Steve closed his eyes bracing himself for the impact. That had hurt like a son of a bitch!

Austin won. Of course, he did. Taker had retrieved that World championship belt and returned to the ring with it, staring down at it, breathing heavily. Steve was breathing just as heavily, his blue eyes narrowed suspiciously. They widened for only a fraction when the belt was suddenly, if not very gently, placed on his shoulder. Taker nodded his head before exiting the ring, leaving Stone Cold Steve Austin to his celebration. He had to go check on his wife, not surprised when Kane came out to meet him, the brothers turning to stand shoulder to shoulder, staring down into the ring.

"How is she?"

"Broken."


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

 _Crying at a bar, Anciana took a shot of Jack Daniels and asked for a double, needing to take the edge off. What she got instead was the woman who would become her roommate and best friend._

" _Hi, I'm Cameria. Most people call me Cami." She was the bartender with kind midnight blues and a friendly smile._

 _Anciana smiled at the woman and took her hand, shaking it. "Anciana."_

" _Cia, okay?"_

" _Yeah."_

* * *

" _Let me go, Travis!"_

" _You belong to me, Cami! Accept it, sweetheart!"_

" _Accept this, jackass!"_

 _A kick to the gut followed by a lethal DDT sent the bastard into dreamland. It was inside the bar in front of everyone…Anciana had started frequenting after her training sessions with Sierra. She walked in, saw Cameria was in trouble and acted out of instinct._

" _Holy shit! Where did you learn to do that?"_

" _Don't worry about it." Anciana grabbed her head to inspect the damage and saw it was just a superficial wound. "You're gonna live. Who is this jackass?"_

" _My soon-to-be ex-husband, if I can ever get the fucking paperwork to go through." Cameria muttered, clearly embarrassed and rose to her feet, dusting herself off. "Thanks for helping me out."_

" _Cameria, what the fuck?" The boss had arrived, shaking his head and pointed to the door. "I warned you if this happened again…"_

" _I'm fired, I got it." Cameria walked out of the bar and began crying, not knowing what she was going to do. "Fuck, I'm gonna get evicted from my apartment now with no job…"_

" _No, you're not." Anciana draped an arm around her shoulders with a grin. "You're coming home with me to my apartment."_

* * *

" _So, you're a professional wrestler…or training to become a professional wrestler. And your family is…"_

" _Not happy about it, but I don't give a fuck. I'm going to become a wrestler, and nobody is going to stop me." Determination flooded Anciana's voice as she began warming up with pushups, black fingerless gloves on her hands along with black spandex shorts and a sports bra._

" _Isn't that stuff…uh…fake though?"_

" _Choreographed, but the moves are very real, and you can die if you don't know what the fuck you're doing." She remained focused, not stopping her pushups and sweat began beading on her body after she passed the 50 mark._

" _So, how long have you been training to do this?"_

" _Two years, give or take. My trainer's name is Sierra Martin." She laughed at the expression on Cameria's face and nodded. "The fighter, yup, she's my trainer and she's a bad ass bitch. Don't ever fuck with her. She's gay too, by the way."_

" _Wow, no wonder you gave my ex a concussion." Then she began laughing about it. "You're a mean bitch."_

" _I learned from the best." More pushups ensued followed by her leaving to go do her training._

* * *

" _So, what do you do for fun? Training can't be the only thing you do and I'm not talking about crying at a bar either…"_

 _Anciana smirked, nudging Cameria and laid on the hard carpeted floor, staring up at the ceiling. The lights were currently off due to a huge thunderstorm happening outside. "Training is my world, my entire existence. I haven't reached my goal and until I do, I'm going to continue making it my priority. Nothing else matters."_

" _What about a relationship? Don't you want someone to cuddle with and fuck on occasion?" She laughed, holding a longneck since they were winding down for the night in their tank tops and underwear. "Sex is a great stress reliever, you know…"_

 _Snorting, Anciana rolled her eyes and sat up on her elbows, shaking her head. "I got no time for a whiny ass man that doesn't understand how much becoming a wrestler means to me. They can all fuck off. Hell, I'm a virgin."_

 _Cameria spat out her beer, eyes wide. "No, you're not!" Her jaw dropped when Anciana promised she was and had never had sex or any kind of sexual encounter before. "Oh my god, you're GORGEOUS and you're a fucking virgin?! How old are you?!"_

" _29 – going on 30 in December…" Rolling, she began doing pushups and winked at her baffled roommate, laughing herself while doing reps._

" _I think I'm gonna faint…"_

" _Never getting married either."_

" _Now that…I don't blame you for."_

* * *

" _I need to get a job, don't I?"_

" _Yeah, I'm sorry, but the bills are piling up and we're gonna get evicted if more income doesn't come in."_

" _I'll take care of it, don't worry." Anciana began changing out of her workout clothes into more professional clothing. She had a feeling this would happen and had a job interview that afternoon, already having an outfit picked out to wear. "I'll make sure we're not evicted, Cami. You got my word on that."_

" _O-Okay…" Cameria had no idea their lives were about to be altered forever and watched her best friend leave the apartment to help keep them from being evicted from their shitty apartment._

* * *

" _OH MY GOD, SOMEONE CALL 911!" Someone screamed from their window, making the driver immediately get out of his car to kneel down beside the victim._

 _The driver, a rather tall man, felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of the woman and slowly turned her over since she curled up, her face hidden by her arm. He stared into her beautiful face, which was now bloody due to a cut across her forehead from hitting the windshield. Sliding his hand beneath her neck, lifting it up, checking her pulse with his other, the driver sighed with relief when he felt it, but it was slow and very weak. Gently placing her head back on the ground, he stood up and looked down at his hands, a red liquid covering both of them._

 _Blood._

 _It wasn't his either._

 _It was hers._

* * *

It happened in slow motion. Crossing the street, the light turned red and the walking sign flashed, giving Anciana the right of way to walk across the street. Halfway through the street, she was suddenly struck and saw the driver in the car looking directly at her. It was Mark. Mark was the one who struck her down…and it wasn't accidental. The slow motion in her mind really helped Anciana see exactly what happened, even through the headlights he had on and the pouring down rain. It was almost as if Anciana was having an out of body experience, watching the accident – no incident – happening while she floated above and could feel tears stream down her cheeks. She knew the truth now. All of it had come back to her, everything, and now all she had to do was wake up to get as far away from Mark Calaway as humanly possible – the man who claimed to be her husband.

"C-Cami…Cami…" Her eyes were fluttering, but hadn't opened yet as her body jerked, her voice full of pain. "C-Cameria…"

Suddenly, a gust of adrenaline forced her to sit upright on the bench she was on, sweat pouring down her face and neck. She winced, her back still on fire and grabbed her head, all the newfound memories flooding back to her. At least it didn't feel like she was struck by lightning, though that was the only GOOD thing about this. Mark fucking Calaway…her crystalline eyes turned pure ice as she stumbled up from the bench, clutching her lower back and looked around the dressing room. It didn't take her long to realize it was Mark's…and suddenly, she remembered what took place out in the ring. That son of a bitch had slammed her as HARD as he could after she slapped him, which was SCRIPTED to happen! Hell, the man was capable of anything since he RAN HER OVER WITH A CAR!

"I gotta get out of here…" She muttered, tearing a hand through her corkscrew curls and searched frantically for her bag, groaning as another shot of pain went up her back. "Son of a bitch!"

"Hey down, Anciana, lay the hell down." Larry ordered, pushing through the door, alongside Vince and another EMT. They pushed her back down into a laying position, a penlight soon in her eyes. "What the hell happened out there?"

"I don't know… he and Austin hit each other pretty hard." Vince was shaking his head, running his hands along the sides of his head repeatedly. "Maybe he was out of it?"

"Must've been." Instincts kicked in out there when the wrestlers were on auto-pilot, he bet her slap had jostled Mark. "Hey, what day is it today, Anciana?"

"Calaway, what the hell?"

"Shut up, Alex, I already know…" He wearily made his way to the men surrounding his wife. "Ciana, darlin'?"

"Get off me!" Anciana rolled off the bench and shoved the trainer away, holding her head along with her back. "It's fucking Summerslam 1998 and that's a son of a bitch standing in the doorway!" She pointed directly at Mark, so much rage in her facial expression. "What's the matter, Deadman? Cat got your fucking tongue? Stay the fuck away from me!" Taking the ring off, she threw it at him as it bounced off his chest, ignoring the pain she was currently in. "My name is Anciana WILLIAMS, you fucking asshole! Where is my brother? I want my brother NOW!"

Paul had arrived just in time to see Anciana's meltdown, his eyes wide and looked up at his Phenom, swallowing hard. Her memories were back completely.

"Anciana, you need to calm down and let me look you over, okay?" Larry blinked at the rage-filled woman before him and she looked like she was ready to pounce, sharing a worried look with Vince. "Just let me look you over."

"No. Not until that son of a bitch leaves."

"Taker, out now." Larry ordered, watching Vince walk over to talk to the man while he managed to sit Anciana down on the bench. "Now follow the light…"

Reluctantly, Anciana did as she was told and turned around to where Larry could inspect her deeply bruised back. "Damn…" Her head lowered when he pressed on her lumbar and knew it was bruised to the bone. Nothing ice and aspirin couldn't fix. "Thanks, now can you help me get out of here and take me to my brother's dressing room? I know if I go with you, he won't try to stop me."

"Sure…" What the hell was going on between Anciana and Taker? Weren't they married?

Grabbing her bag, Anciana followed Larry and the second Mark grabbed her arm to try stopping her from leaving, she hauled off and punched him as hard as she could in the face, watching him stumble back. "DON'T you EVER touch me again, you psychotic PRICK!"

Paul WINCED at that shot and cleared his throat, not saying a word.

There was no stumbling back; he took two steps back because he was very tempted to throttle her in front of witnesses. "Vince."

"Everyone out." Vince was ushering them all out the door, not about to get involved with that tone. "We need to go check in on Austin, he was… messed up."

When Anciana tried hitting him again, he caught her fist, twisted and sent her backwards. He watched, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as she took her turn stumbling, seeing the spasm of pain on her face. Her back probably hurt.

"Now, darlin'," Mark said slowly, the accent fading. "What on earth has gotten into you?"

"You son of a bitch! You psychotic, son of a bitch! Let me out of here right now! I need to go check on my brother and I want NOTHING to do with you!" Anciana picked up a chair and hurled at him, nailing him in the chest and then another, once again ignoring the pain she was in. Her adrenaline and guard were UP. "We're not married, we're not together! I don't even KNOW you! You lied to me about EVERYTHING! Even Cameria…all lied to me…and made me BELIEVE in a marriage that DOESN'T EXIST! It was YOU that struck me down and you did it ON PURPOSE! There was a red light and you were looking RIGHT THROUGH the fucking windshield when you hit me! You tracked me down because of my brother, didn't you? You sick bastard!" The virginity part she didn't even WANT to think about right now, her entire body shuddering at all the times she'd had sex with this monster in front of her. "Now step aside and let me out of here so I can go check on my brother, asshole!"

Mark wasn't overly pleased with her hurling steel chairs at him. Once she had exhausted her supply, he was in her face. A backhand had her raging ass on the floor. Not hard enough to rattle her brain, he was in full control of himself now and not rattled in the head, but enough to knock her off her feet. When she immediately tried getting up, he kicked her in the side of her knee, hard enough to make her stop and hold that area.

"You better play nicely, Ciana, or else I'll dislocate it the next time." He threatened, bending to retrieve one of those chairs and unfolded it. Sighing, he placed it right over her, trapping her neck and sat down, resting his arms on the back of it as he stared down into her face. "Now… let's see.. first, of course, I was looking through the windshield, most drivers do." He smiled down at her, nothing warm it in it, his eyes pure venom. "And why am I a psychotic son of a bitch, hmm? Hitting you was on accident, Anciana. I was on my way to SEE you, not hit you. As for the marriage bit, it's legal enough, bank on that, precious." His smile turned into a leer. "You were very vigorous in consummating it."

"You expect me to play nice with the likes of YOU? Get real, asshole!" She actually spat in his face since he had bent down to almost nose to nose with her and struggled against the chair, but his weight made it impossible to move. Her back was hurting her, so her strength wasn't nearly where it should be. "You hit me on purpose. You didn't even know me, and you ran me over with a damn car! We don't know each other, and we didn't back then either! You're a fucking pathetic liar! I told Cameria I would never get married and I didn't want a man in my life for a REASON! You completely fucked my world up and for what? To get back at my brother for Julia? Now I know the truth and you ARE a woman beater." Her face was proof of that, the backhand stinging her face and it was already bruising. "Get this through your head – you are NOT my husband and I want NOTHING to do with you! You can go fuck yourself for all I care, dickweed!"

"Now, Ciana, there's a difference between your brother, a woman beater, and me. That difference is this: your brother is a raging alcoholic, who didn't like what he heard and hit her so hard, her face was fucked up within hours. And… it wasn't his first time laying hands on a girl in a fit of rage, was it?" No, no it was not. "Me, on the other hand, I have never hit you or abused you for something you said. You attacked me. You punched me, darlin', and then you decided it was okay to throw steel chairs. If you can act like a man, throw your ass like a man, you best be prepared to take it like a man and deal with the consequences of your actions. I've been wanting to tell you something for a while now: the world does not revolve around YOU." Oh dear god, he had wanted to tell her that. "You get so upset when people don't acknowledge your precious feelings, like Kane, for example. You were so hurt over him not letting you say hi. Your own family. You had a meltdown because YOU weren't ready, and then YOU were afraid, never mind the fact that your parents hadn't seen you, their only daughter, in 18 years. You acted like a slut in front of your brother and then called me out for a comment. You are such a child, Anciana. Time to grow up."

"Fuck you and anyone you've ever associated with on this godforsaken planet. That's all I have to say to you."

Anciana felt sick to her stomach, nauseous beyond belief, both from physical, emotional and mental pain. It would take a LONG time for her to get over this if she ever did. This monster had run her over with a car, giving her amnesia -thankfully it was temporary- and then acted like a loving husband he was NOT. It'd all been an act – all of it. Acting like a slut in front of her brother was something Anciana would've never done had she had all of her memories, had she known what kind of person she actually was.

The REAL her.

She was back now and would do everything in her power to get away from this lunatic. The world didn't revolve around her, but he had FUCKED her world to HELL! He destroyed her life, forced her to go back to her parents she wasn't ready to see and reunited with her twin…all of it was because of this psychotic bastard sitting on top of her on a steel chair. It was removed a few minutes later as she managed to scoot back, holding her back while her face throbbed. Steve…she needed to get to Steve and away from Taker, but in her current condition, that wasn't possible.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Mark watched the play of emotions across her face, wondering if she was really processing anything besides her hurt feelings. He moved so he was leaning against the door, dropping his hand to flip the lock, it was the only way in and out of this room. Old arena, no windows, not in this part of it anyway.

"Your doctors… Cameria… even Sierra, all of them lied to you." He said musingly, bringing his hand up to study his fingernails. "Hell, it was your doctor's idea for me to say we were married. There was a lot of concern about whether or not you'd regain your memories or even full mobility. They wanted to make sure you'd be cared for." Mark had done that in his own way. "Did Cam know? That you never wanted to be married? Because it is odd… that she went along with it." Without him having to fuck her up, no less.

"Yeah…she did."

That was one of the main memories that pierced her, which was why she knew, deep in her heart, they were not really married. It was a ruse, a sham, a lie. Cameria would never be forgiven for this and neither would Sierra – she wanted nothing to do with people who lied and deceived her all these months.

"Still doesn't excuse what you did to me. This is all because of YOU." Somehow, through sheer willpower, Anciana rose to her feet and held her back, pressing it back against the cinderblock wall. They were currently in Madison Square Garden and it looked like Taker wasn't letting her leave. "It's because of YOU they had to lie to me. If you would've just left me alone and not hit me with that goddamn car, I wouldn't be in this position right now!" She would still have the two people in her life she trusted the most. Now…she trusted nobody. "Let me out of here. You can't keep me here, Taker." Flat out refusing to call him anything else, Anciana hissed out as another zip of pain shot up her back.

"You have to ask nicely, wife." He ordered sweetly, though when she swayed on her feet, a flash of concern zipped through the venom. "Ciana?"

That adrenaline had to be wearing off and he knew exactly what happened after that. Every wrestler did. Exhaustion and pain, it could drown a person, it seemed sometimes. Sighing, he crossed the room and scooped her into his arms, bridal style.

"Stop." He ordered when she instantly began fighting. "I'll let you go, Ciana." Because she was hurt, and he had no doubt this wasn't over between them. "But I'm not _letting you go_ , darlin'." Difference between tonight and forever.

"Yes…you…will…" Anciana gritted out, all the rage and adrenaline gone as huge tears slid down her cheeks, the pain overtaking her. "You have to…it's over…between us…"

Hell, there was never an 'us' to begin with, just one major game played. He set her down on her feet, once he was sure she wouldn't keel over and Anciana bent down to grab her bag, not daring to carry it over her shoulder. Even with how angry she was at him for lying to her and destroying her life, why did Anciana still feel love for him? Why was she still in love with him?

"I gotta go…"

She was booking the first flight out of here and back to Vegas, planning on kicking the shit out of Cameria before cutting ties with her. Anciana had NO idea where she'd go from here, but one thing was certain: her memories were back, she was back…and it sucked. Mark stopped her from leaving, reaching out to brush away a tear with a massive thumb as he considered her.

"Why, Ciana?" He asked quietly. "You can't reconcile who you are now with what we've had these last few months?" Mark did have something to say to her, but not right now, not when she had just gotten everything back and, at the same time, lost so much, when her emotions were running so high. Out of instinct, she pulled back from his finger and shuddered, not wanting him to touch her.

"It was all a lie, Taker. Just like my feelings for you…lies. I only fell for you because of a lie. I could never love a man who purposely runs over a woman with a car. You're sick and you need help. And I hope you get it someday. I'm done…I'm leaving and I'm not coming back."

Maybe that wasn't the best thing for her to say, but Anciana had to make it clear to him they were through. Before he could stop her, she walked out the door with bag in hand and had to force herself to keep putting one foot in front of the other, the tears not stopping. Kane had been right when he told his brother she was broken.

"I love you, Anciana." He called after her, taking note of the way she froze for just a second, just a tiny fraction, but it was there, and her shoulders hunched inwardly before she was off again. He stroked his goatee thoughtfully, eyes narrowed. "Yes?"

"Remembers?"

"She sure does." He turned to study his little brother. "You may want to stay clear of Austin for a while. He's going to be… more temperamental than usual."

That was the understatement of the year and he snorted.

Instead of going to her brother's dressing room, Anciana used the phone in the arena to call a cab and went to a different hotel. She wanted to be completely alone right now, holding her emotions in the best she could…until she was at a motel on the outskirts of New York City. It wasn't directly in the city, so there wasn't nearly as much traffic and the motel was relatively quiet. Limping inside the room, she turned the light on, locked the door and drew the shades before collapsing on the bed, burying her face in the pillow. So many different emotions flowed through her as she tried coming to terms with her past memories colliding with the memories she'd made over 8 months ago. Her heart and spirit were shattered, thanks to Mark Calaway and it was all because of a game he wanted to play on her twin brother. Anciana wanted to die, praying for death even as she passed out from the amount of pain she was in.

* * *

"I am not in the mood, brother."

"Don't fuckin' call me that! I ain't yer goddamn brother! That fuckin' retard in the corner is!" Steve threw a finger at Kane, who was sitting in the booth of the corner, hidden in the shadows. Who the HELL drank beer with a straw?! "Where the fuck is she?" Anciana had gotten ALL her memories back and he knew that probably hadn't gone over so well.

"No idea. She was… upset." The corners of his mouth lifted into what might've been a smile, then turned right back down. "What did you say about _Glen_?"

"Oh… oh, NOW yer family fuckin' orientated! I KNEW you were fuckin' playin' a game with her!"

He made a noise that didn't really say much other than he was amused.

Steve had himself a wonderful headache, but he had been hunting for his twin for hours. Finding Taker was easier. Just look for the seediest, scummiest bar and there he would be.

"Yer a piece of shit! I can't find her any goddamn where and fuck knows where she's at! She was hurt 'cause of yer goddamn chokeslam!" Steve wanted to strangle this prick, having gotten all the information from Larry while he was being looked over. When Taker merely sat there, sipping his beer calmly, Steve took it and promptly dumped it over the bastard's head before socking him in the jaw. "You ever come near my sister again and I'll fuckin' kill you!" He stormed out of the bar, adrenaline and worry forcing him to stay awake and hoped his twin was alright. For some reason, he could feel her pain tenfold and wondered if it had to do with the fact her memories were back completely. "Goddamn it, girl, where are you?"

Steve Austin would not discover where his twin was tonight because there was the 'retard' right behind him. Glen grabbed Steve by the back of his neck, raised him up and then slammed him down onto the hood of a car, watching impassively as the now unconscious Rattlesnake rolled off and hit the pavement. He was NOT a retard.

"Overkill, don't you think?"

Mark was SOAKED in beer and rubbed his already bruised jaw. As if he had MEANT to nail her that hard with the chokeslam, he hadn't. Steve had kicked him, and he had come upwards, right into Steve's head. He had been dazed and out of it. However, since he was already an over the top villain, apparently… He aimed a kick right into Steve's ribs.

"Satisfying."

Glen was already walking away.

Smart idea.

* * *

The following day was brutal, to say the least. A hot shower was cut short due to the water turning ice cold, so that didn't help her back any. The right side of her face had a massive bruise on it from Taker's backhand. Her knee was also killing her from his kick – the bastard. Granted, she had provoked him, but…Taker deserved SO much more than what she'd done. Now that her temper was simmered down a little and Anciana could actually think, she was completely tormented. Her heart was shredded to tiny pieces, after being battered with all of the wonderful memories her and…Mark shared. Not able to put anything on her back because she couldn't reach, Anciana did put salve on her face and knee, since it was also bruised, to help with the pain management. Her back was bruised down to the lumbar, so that would take at least a week or two to heal up. Sitting on the bed, in just a towel, Anciana buried her face in her hands and cried, not knowing what she was going to do now.

Who was she supposed to trust now?

"Good morning, darlin'."

Seeing Anciana jump was hilarious, all things considered as was her shock at seeing him there. Mark had orchestrated a lot over the last several months, so if she didn't think he couldn't find her, she was insane. He swung a key around his finger, staring at her over the rims of his black sunglasses. Black, skin-tight jeans, a black leather vest that wasn't buttoned, black boots and his hair was hanging loose. He was also bruised, from both Austin's co-cocking his him.

"We have work tonight, Ciana." He eyeballed her, taking in her face. Mark hadn't struck her that hard, she was lucky her head was still attached. "Were you able to reach your back or do you need help?"

Jumping had made her back twinge, which did NOT feel good at all. "Mother fucker!" She hissed out, immediately stumbling up from the bed when he took a step forward, shaking her head. "You…are out of your mind if you think I'm going anywhere with your ass. And no, I don't need nor WANT your fucking help. What the fuck are you doing in my room?" More importantly, how did he find her? She used cash to pay for the room for 2 days, knowing one wouldn't be enough to heal up from her injuries. "I'm done with the WWF; do you understand me? Anca is gone, doesn't exist – poof, like my feelings for you. Gone, in the blink of an eye. Now get out and leave me the hell alone!" She waved her fingers during the 'poof' sentence and rolled her eyes, clutching her towel tightly to her body. "Leave. Now."

"I'm sorry, did you just…?" Mark was trying not to laugh, really he was. "That you're done with the WWF?" Oh, she did! Her expression said it all. "Bless your fuckin' heart, Ciana, darlin'." He reached up under the shades to wipe away a tear. "Sweetheart, you don't just get to leave, that's not how the real world works. You don't get to quit because you're… having marital problems." Vince was going to have a field day with her.

At the very least he hadn't followed her into the bathroom, so she had privacy to get dressed without his eyes devouring her. Those damn eyes…Anciana immediately pushed those thoughts out of her mind and opened the door, turning the light off. "Laugh it up, Rigamortis, I don't care what the fuck you, or Vince or the whole damn WWF does. Vince can shove that contract right up his ass along with the company! And you can go headfirst with it! I'm not working for any company you're part of. Fuck you and the real world, I'll find my own way." The Independent circuit was a huge thing and there was also WCW she could work for, though that wasn't a very appealing thought. "Either way, I'm NOT Anca anymore. And I'm certainly not a fucking Calaway either." She was getting her name changed as soon as possible.

"Did you even bother to read the fine print in that contract you signed, Anciana?" He asked cordially, walking around the room and wrinkled his nose. His wife was slumming it. Mark supposed he couldn't say anything, he had done that quite a bit, right up until she started traveling on the road with him. "You can try, darlin', I suppose, but it'd really suck to be you. I did try to warn you about Vince." Yes, he had and had she listened? Nope.

"Do you really think, after what I've been through – what YOU put me through – I give a rat's ass about Vince McMahon? No, no I really don't. Was it my dream to become a professional wrestler and maybe ONE DAY work for the WWF? Yeah, it was, but that was before you completely fucked that up for me. YOU did that, asshole! Nobody else and all because I'm Stone Cold Steve Austin's twin sister." Anciana scoffed, not caring what he thought about her motel room and gripped the wall, her lower back killing her. It wasn't her full back, thankfully, just her lower back that was very painful. "He can go ahead and sue me, but I don't have much to give him. Oh wait – you said we're married, right?" Now she had a devious smirk on her face. "That means he'll be suing you as well since, you know, you're the breadwinner and all." That did not sit well with him at all and she could tell by the way his jaw clenched tightly. "Good luck with that. I think I'll wait until he sues US and then divorce your ass since you were hell-bent on making the courts believe our marriage exists. Idiot."

She was so damn cute. Mark had to laugh, a great deep rumbling laugh filled with humor and a tinge of darkness. "You are insane, woman. Precious but insane." He dropped down onto the end of the bed and stretched his long legs out. "Vince will target your brother. Not me. And he won't sue you. He has other legal resources available." She was coming back. She didn't have much choice. "As your loving husband, I will respect your decision whichever way you choose."


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

"Good, let him use them then. Again, I don't have much to offer him and, last I checked, he's been targeting my brother for QUITE some time and STILL hasn't gotten the job done. My brother is still the champion since you couldn't get the job done last night." That struck a nerve and she enjoyed watching that egotistical smile melt off his face. "We're done here. We're done, period, Taker, do you understand me? If I have to, I'll get a lawyer and send you papers, once I figure out what I'm going to…" Another wince. "Do. But I'm NOT going back to the WWF and you are anything BUT a loving husband. You're psychotic."

It was interesting how she acted like Vince actually was targeting the biggest Superstar in the company right now, instead of helping him rise even higher. "I gave you too much credit." He announced, pushing himself upright and shook his head, a bit disgusted with her. "I actually thought you were a fairly smart woman. All you are is a ball of crazy and stupid. Get a lawyer, that should be amusing. Let them know what you THINK happened."

It was a bit of a mind turner, how she was still not… processing, he supposed, both old memories with new. Mark had seen her forgive her brother for things she KNEW happened and assumed about him. Hell, maybe the 'real' Anciana was just meant to be a pawn and nothing more.

"I really don't care what you think of me, Taker. The fact of the matter is you're a psychotic asshole that ruined my life! Running me over with a car, giving me temporary amnesia and for what? So you could mold the 'new' me into what YOU wanted? You…took more than just my dream of becoming a professional wrestler." Tears welled in her eyes as another revelation, another realization, crashed over her. "You took my virginity, TRICKED me into having sex with you! Although it was consensual, I didn't know who I truly was or what you did to me or I NEVER would've jumped into bed with you! You're nothing, but a manipulator and you don't love me, you never did! Even with all the GOOD you did for me, it was YOUR fault in the first place you needed to help me! I now understand why I was hesitant to have sex with you, to be with you, to LOVE you. It's because the real me refused to die and was trying to warn me about what kind of monster I was dealing with. If I do come back to the WWF, I want NOTHING to do with you. And I'll do it for ME and ME only, but I need a week to…decompress and get my shit in order. I already know Steve is not on Raw tonight, so that means I won't have TV time." That was something Taker didn't know because his eyes had narrowed. "It would be in your best interest to leave me the fuck alone from here on out, Taker. I mean it. You will not use me against my brother EVER again. I'm not a pawn or tool you can use at will, better go find Julia and do that bullshit because it won't fly with me. Now get the fuck out of my room and get out of my life."

He was on his feet, staring down at her thoughtfully, one long pale finger stroking his bottom lip. "You really are nothing, Anciana." He declared coldly. "Not now, not as you are currently. I will give you your week to 'decompress', wife. Maybe I am pushing you too fast." Or maybe he was a fool to believe anything related to Steve Austin could be reasonable, on any level. As for her idiot brother, Mark already knew about RAW. Glen had faceplanted that idiot into the hood of a car, hard, that wasn't something anyone just walked away from. Her words he wasn't about to hold against her, not just yet. The very idiotic part of him was holding onto the belief that underneath this man-hating, self-absorbed idiot, who knew nothing about how life outside of her own fantasies worked, was an Anciana they could both come to terms with. Otherwise, he was swearing off women forever because she had ruined him.

What did he honestly expect after what he did to her?! "I'd rather be nothing than your mousey, obedient wife. And stop calling me that because we both know this marriage DOESN'T EXIST. I'm not your wife, you're not my husband and there was never truly an 'us'."

It sickened her at how she'd acted with him, prior to regaining her past memories and finding out the truth. Her back was throbbing, but hopefully, a week off would heal it enough to where she could go back to work. That's all WWF was to her now – work. There was no fun involved for her, not anymore, and that was if she decided to return.

"Stay away from me." Anciana stumbled back when he took another step forward, just one step, her eyes nothing more than ice and guarded.

Mark snorted, shaking his head. What he had expected, or hoped for speciously, was she would remember the hoops he had jumped through for her comfort and emotional well-being. Being her 'boyfriend', giving her time, letting her cock block him while at the same time be a cock tease. He had been there through her hypocrisy with her family and with her brother, raging at her while also bringing her back to ground. Mark had stood there and LIED for Steve Austin because he had known Anciana would need him, though her father had seen right through that. Anciana had forgiven that bald idiot and seemingly did not believe a word of the truth about the bastard. His obedient wife… Anciana had been anything but. She had been passionate and amusing; she had laughed with him and shown him her stubborn, mouth in foot side, as well as her adventurous side and the love she had for her family. He should have killed her with that car and saved them both the grief. The WWF did not need this pale, weak version of Steve Austin and really, that's all she was.

"No, I guess not." He agreed, stepping away from her. "Take your week, Anciana, and if you still wish to end your contract, I will pay the early termination fee." Pushing his sunglasses back up, Mark tossed the key on her bed and stormed out. He had played his cards a little too close to the chest.

* * *

Beverly sat in her rocking chair, knitting a sweater for a Christmas present she'd be giving her daughter, having missed out on 18 past holidays with her. Having Anciana back in their lives again had invigorated the Williams family. Even Ken was doing things around the house with an extra kick in his step and her boys couldn't stop talking about the fact they were related to the Undertaker. The family was huge wrestling fans because of Steve and now…Anciana. When a knock sounded at the door, at 9 PM on a Tuesday evening, Beverly frowned and stood up from the rocking chair, walking over to answer it.

"Hi, Momma…"

It was pouring down rain, so her daughter was soaked through, but that didn't stop Beverly from noticing the red-rimmed swollen eyes or how broken her daughter was. "Anciana…" She drew her daughter into her arms, letting her cry and sob against her, and looked up when Ken walked into the room, tears in her own eyes.

"I-I remember, Momma…I remember everything…" It all had hit her like a ton of bricks and, instead of going to Vegas to confront Cameria, she had come home to her mother. "I-I'm so sorry…I'm sorry…" Wrestling had destroyed her life in every way possible and Anciana had nowhere left to go except Victoria, Texas.

"Oh, baby, my sweet baby girl…" Beverly continued holding her, not caring if her own clothes were wet and stood there holding her daughter for a while, stroking her hair. She had also noticed the ring on her daughter's hand was gone…had Stevie been right about Mark Calaway all along?

"Hey, Bev, dishes are put away, honey, did you want a cup of cof- Anci?" Ken stopped in the entrance way, frowning as he took in his women, his wife, and his daughter. Anciana was distraught, crying, and her body language made him want to snatch her up and rock her in his big recliner like he did when she was a little girl. "What happened?" He asked, walking over to cocoon her in between her parents, meeting Beverly's worried stare over the top of Anciana's, bowed, drenched head.

"She got ALL her memories back."

It took a while to calm Anciana down, but once they did, with some tea and patience, she softly told them everything that happened. How Mark had run her over with the car on purpose…all to use her against Steve in the WWF. He had tracked her down and hurt her in ways she didn't think was possible. How he'd tricked her into having sex and taking her virginity…Anciana was STILL trying to process that one. How he manipulated her into believing he actually cared for and loved her. How he'd tricked her into falling in love with him in return. Anciana cried her heart out, feeling ashamed for everything that happened and how she felt for the man who had struck her down like an animal…like roadkill. And then, she finally revealed the truth about their 'marriage', how it was all a sham, a lie, and apparently, Doctor Horris, Cameria, Sierra and Mark were all in on it due to her amnesia. She wasn't really married to Mark and never was, though she did tell them about the documents she had signed while under his 'care'.

Beverly was beside herself while Ken looked ready to take his shotgun and go hunting. He was livid this happened to their only daughter and the fact that monster had walked into their lives, without a care in the world, without any remorse whatsoever, sickened both of them. By the time she finished, Anciana was drained in every way and actually slumped against the couch, breathing in and out evenly. Beverly changed her out of her wet, sopping clothes, saw the bruises on her daughter and cried all over again, immediately treating her purplish-blue back, knee and face with salve. The sight of the bruises and injuries on his daughter made Ken want to kill Mark Calaway that much more.

What hurt Anciana the most was the memory of being held by Mark, right after she suggested roleplaying as boyfriend and girlfriend to take the edge off being married and asked him not to hurt her and break her heart.

He had done both.

How the hell had they misjudged him so damn badly? Ken had stood there and watched the man lie through his teeth about hitting that woman, all to spare Anciana the 'pain', or so he had said. He knew Steve had a temper and Julia wouldn't be the first woman Steve had laid hands on. However, he was wondering if they had all lost their minds on Steve over something he had never done.

"Damn…" He shook his head, not sure what else to say. He just wanted to go shoot someone.

"But… WHY would he do all of this?"

"Fuck if I know, Bev." Ken growled, trying not to take his anger out on his wife because this wasn't her fault. None of this was anybody's fault except Mark Calaway. "If he EVER comes near our baby girl again, I'll fuckin' kill him." They had plenty of room on their property to bury the body too.

"She has a contract with the WWF, Ken. She has to go back and even told us she was going to. She just took a week off to heal from the injuries…" Beverly sniffled, not wanting her daughter in a barbaric environment or anywhere near the lunatic that ran her baby down. "I'm scared for her…I-I think she still loves him…"

Ken shut his eyes, having picked up on that too. Anciana wore her heart on her sleeve and was always that way. When she loved, it was completely and consuming. No matter what her old memories showed her, her new ones she'd made with Mark were very real, strong and powerful. "We're gonna have to sit back and let her live her life and just hope she makes the right decision."

"A-And what if…what if she decides to be with Calaway?"

Ken didn't want to think about that scenario and pulled his crying wife in his arms while their daughter remained sleeping on the couch, soothing her the best way he could.

* * *

"What are you going to do?"

"Let her have her week." Then he'd see how sociable Anciana was feeling before determining whether or not she was worth it. So far, not impressed. Mark had been doing her a favor, running her over. He wasn't concerned about charges for running her over, that had been settled quite a while ago, ruled an accident. Rain. Slick roads. Then, he stayed by her side and paid all her medical bills.

"And Austin?"

"Well HE is the point of all this, is he not?"

* * *

Due to injuries and needing time to recuperate, Steve was not scheduled for the shows until September 14th. That gave Anciana more time off since she was his valet and nothing more in the company, yet, to heal from her own injuries and spend more time with her parents. When the morning of the 12th rolled around, it was time to say goodbye and head back on the road with the WWF…and into hell.

"Anca, I don't want ya goin' back to that company where that…devil is." Beverly didn't know how else to describe the man she THOUGHT was her son-in-law and had prayed all night long, clutching her Bible. "Daddy and I think it's a bad idea…"

"Momma, we've had this talk already. No matter what Taker did to me," She still refused to use his birth name because that would make him an actual human being in her eyes, which he was not. "Wrestling is a part of me and I can't give it up simply because I hit a bump in the road."

Over the past week, Anciana had cried and sobbed, while healing her injuries, the bruises nearly gone. She had homecooked meals from her Mom, talked extensively with her, Dad and her brothers, even Stevie over the phone, and began the healing process. Cameria and Sierra would come in time, but…they had betrayed her, even if they felt it was the right thing to do keeping it a secret from her at the time. That was forgivable…with time.

"I'm gonna fulfill my end of the bargain and work the rest of my contract."

Beverly could only watch as her daughter threw her bag in the back of the 1989 Cutlass Sierra she'd purchased for a couple hundred and pulled her into her arms again. "You let us know as SOON as ya get to where yer goin'. And I want ya home on yer days off, ya hear me?"

"I will, Momma." Hugging her close, Anciana had to let her go and leave before she ran back into the house and told WWF to screw themselves. "I gotta go now. I love you." Slipping behind the wheel, she pulled out moments later, waving through the window and took off down the street, heading to San Jose, California, where Raw would emanate from in 2 days' time.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Mark had spent his week roaming and taking a few days off for recovery purposes himself. He had done RAW; he and Glen had LIT that show up and not in a way many would've approved of. Vince had loved it, he had even been able to use some choice words. Vince was evil. He had gone home, that hadn't worked out well at all and then he just wandered, drifting where the roads, and bars, took him.

She arrived the morning of the 14th, running on little sleep, and checked into her hotel room Vince had set up for her to get a few hours of sleep before the show. Tormented by memories of her and Mark together in Houston, in the pool, the Monopoly game, all the meals they shared together…Anciana didn't get much more sleep and finally gave up. She sat up in bed, tearing a hand through her haphazard sun-kissed blonde hair and blinked tears away. How the hell would she face him or be able to function in the same building as him? Anciana just wanted to forget Mark Calaway ever existed, hating herself for still loving him. She hated and loved him at the same time, it was confusing and draining.

Kicking the blanket off, Anciana stormed into the bathroom to shower, changed into workout clothes and decided to hit the gym down the street to vent her frustrations out on their equipment. That's what she did prior to the accident, on a daily basis, and it was time to get back into that routine now that she worked for the WWF. If Sierra was smart, and she knew the woman was, she would be in Vegas far away from the WWF and from Anciana. Joanie hadn't lied and deceived her the way Sierra did, so she would ask her to continue her training or simply do it on her own. Walking out of her hotel room, with her hair braided over her shoulder, in all black, Anciana headed out and knew she had 3 hours before needing to be at the arena. A 2-hour workout sounded wonderful and would be just what the doctor ordered.

As luck would have it, Joanie and Paul were at the gym Anciana happened to hit. They were both pretty obsessed with their bodies. He wanted to make sure he was in top shape and Joanie was working on contouring her physique into something she deemed feminine. Paul had already told her he was missing his butch bitch, she had co-cocked him. He slid out from under the weightlifting bench after racking the bar, she had been spotting him.

"Your turn."

"Arms, I want to work on my arms." She reminded him, spotting Anciana and smiled, waving.

Anciana waved and didn't send a smile back, deciding to work on cardio today. She would need it in case she had to run away while out in the ring or if she ran into Taker. Hopefully, he kept his distance and just left her alone, but something told her that wouldn't happen. He was a psychotic, evil bastard, who only cared about himself and what he could achieve in this world. He thought the world revolved around him and he could do no wrong, that he was untouchable. She would prove him wrong on all counts, snorting and started the treadmill, slipping her headphones on that was attached to the Walkman on her side and began her workout, picking up speed every couple minutes.

Well, since she wasn't feeling sociable and obviously couldn't hear them… "Did you hear, uh… well you know, about her and Taker?" It was a rumor, of course, from the night of Summerslam, but news got around quick. "About her memories and shit?"

Joanie nodded, focusing on what she was doing and hoped Paul remembered he was supposed to be spotting her. She smiled when he nodded at her reassuringly, seeing his eyes moving to the weights. "I did."

"Think it's true? About her and Taker? About the Deadman?"

That part she wasn't sure about. Apparently, word was they weren't actually married, but nobody really knew the specifics of that one.

Not being a social butterfly was the least of her worries, honestly. Anciana had nobody to trust except her twin brother, and even that was a stretch. Her family of course, but they weren't on the road with her. Anciana had to rely on herself for protection and hoped the next year flew by because she was done in August 1999. It was only a year contract, Vince wanted to feel her out and make sure she would be an asset instead of deadweight for his company.

Once she ran on the treadmill for an hour, Anciana moved to the weight bag and began punching and kicking it, picturing Taker's face with each blow. She then did scissor kicks, one right after the other until her heart felt like it would explode from how fast it raced. Her back was healed, just a yellowish bruise in the wake of Taker's chokeslam, which would not happen again. This time, she would be ready for him, whatever he threw her way. Wiping sweat from her face and neck, Anciana went to shower and then left to head to the arena, wondering what tonight would bring.

"Well…" They had worked out and been watching her. Paul was a bit concerned for whoever she was obviously planning on messing up with that scissor kick. "I think it's safe to say the rumors are probably true."

"So… not married. That's just a weird thing to lie about." Joanie mused, tossing a towel around her neck after draining his water bottle, smirking when he went to take hers, only it was also empty.

"Not cool, Joans, not cool." Paul wrinkled his nose down at her. "Let's get going, I bet tonight is going to be very, very interesting."

* * *

Blue jean shorts, a skull tank top and her braided hair hanging over her shoulder was the sight everyone met when Anciana walked into the building. No longer was the smiley, giggly, happy woman everyone had grown accustomed to seeing. Her eyes were cold as ice, her lips set in a perfect line and…she looked downright scary. Not greeting anyone, Anciana headed straight for her twin brother's locker room, clenching her fist at her side. Upon arrival, Steve was outside his dressing room with Vince, both of them discussing tonight's plans evidently.

"So yer…" Steve's voice trailed off as his eyes moved to stare at his sister, immediately leaving Vince to go to her.

"Don't." Anciana stepped back, holding her hand up and shook her head, her bag over her shoulder. "I'm not here for some lovey-dovey, sister brother bullshit, Austin. So, tell me what's going on tonight, so I can be ready."

What the hell had Taker done to this woman?

Her spirit was shattered, and life no longer filled her icy eyes that mirrored his. Steve was going to fuck Taker up for this.

Vince studied Anciana thoughtfully, wondering if she was going to be worth the trouble of her one year contract. "If you don't want to be here, Mrs. Calaway," He paused, hesitating. "Taker has offered to pay the termination fee on your behalf."

Considering what Vince had seen the night of Summerslam, Steve thought he was pretty ballsy using those words… Mrs. Calaway. He rubbed his bald head, sighing.

"First of all, I don't NEED anything from that spineless prick. Secondly, he is NOT my husband and my name is NOT Mrs. Calaway." Anciana physically shuddered, gritting her teeth and had to take a deep breath, knowing losing her temper on the boss was not the right thing to do or the way to go. "My name is Anciana Williams. I had my last name changed while I was on…leave." Whipping out her license, she handed it to Vince and showed him proof before putting it back in her purse. "Third, Vince, I signed a contract and I intend on fulfilling it to the best of my ability. I'm not going to run away from my obligation and responsibility, never been my style. Do I want to be here? I'm torn on that, but I'm here nonetheless, unless you don't want me to be." However, if Taker didn't leave her alone, she wouldn't be held responsible for what she did to one of his top stars. "And if I have to work closely with that…with Undertaker, I'll do it because, after all, Anca hates the Undertaker, right? Real emotion looks good on television."

That was a good point. "Well Vince, what'd you think 'bout that?" Steve was actually proud of his sister because she had handled that professionally and hadn't lost her temper.

"As long as you and Mark," He stressed that one, frowning because he was already seeing issues. "Keep it professional. I don't care what happens when you're not working, but in an arena, or any other WWF event, you will both play nice."

"Sounds good."

Mark had been walking up behind Anciana and Steve, alongside his brother, smirking when Steve whipped around with ice in his eyes. Steve was still sporting a bit of a bruise. Glen snorted, reaching down to adjust his leather glove. That'd teach him to mind his manners.

"As long as he plays nice, I have no problem _acting_ , Vinnie. Only, out in the ring, that hatred is real – VERY real." Anciana sneered at the sight of Taker, feeling nauseous all over again and placed a hand on Steve's arm when he went to advance. "No – no, remember what Vince said, bro. You'll have your shot at him, but we have to play nice. Be professional." She could handle and fight her own battles, but didn't want her brother getting into trouble over this scumbag. "Oh, by the way, in case you missed it with your eavesdropping, I took the liberty of ridding myself of your name. Since, you know, our marriage was fake and all. Come on Steve, we have strategizing to do tonight for your match against Shamrock."

Steve owed Kane and Taker both some payback for sidelining his ass after Summerslam. He may or may not have provoked it by hunting Taker down, not that he was about to admit that out loud.

"Kind of like I took the liberty of ridding you of your virginity?"

"PROFESSIONAL!"

"Oh, I was REAL professional about it, boss." Mark laughed, holding his hands up and nodded when Vince looked ready to have a meltdown. "All right, all right, Vince. Come on." He gestured his brother to follow him and they walked down the hallway together, his dark laughter echoing.

That was such a low blow considering he had tricked her with lies and deceit by running her over with a car, which caused her amnesia! Anciana knew this wasn't a good idea, but…professional, she would be professional and do her job. Outside of the arena, however, all bets were off. She would take his head off even he even SNIFFED in her general direction after that snide comment.

"I hate him so much…" She whispered, once they were in the seclusion of Steve's dressing room and had to swallow down the pain. Pain, heartache, hatred…they all went hand in hand, it turned out. "And I don't want to talk about it, so don't bring it up, Steve. Let's just get through this, so I can go back to my hotel room." Strong liquor was on the menu tonight.

"Fine. Whatever you want, just don't interfere in my match with Shamrock tonight." No Taker meant there was no need for interference.

"Got it." Eye candy, that's all she was out there and accepted it, leaning her head back against the cinderblock wall trying not to think about how messed up her life was.

* * *

"Was that really necessary?" Paul demanded when Taker and Kane ambled into what was technically Taker's dressing room.

Kane tended to hide elsewhere to avoid the other mid-card wrestlers, until recently. The more he and Taker became familiar and comfortable with each other, the more they tended to gravitate. That couldn't be good. They were their mother's sons. Kane had just recounted what had happened.

"It was funny." He said slowly, testing out the words. Vocal and speech therapy kind of sucked, but… big brother was paying.

"It was hilarious. You had to be there. The LOOK on her face."

"Oh dear Lord…"

"Down to business, however," Mark pulled out the script he had picked up from the writers from his back pocket and unfurled it, tossing it onto the table. "Anciana isn't important. It's her brother I want."

If it was Austin his Phenom wanted so badly, then why bring Anciana into this in the first place? Why run her over with a car and destroy her life? Paul already knew the answer as soon as the question filtered through his mind – Taker enjoyed destroying lives. He actually felt pity and sorrow for Anciana because she was a sweet girl, who didn't deserve to be treated the way she had. However, the evil part of him that connected so well to Taker also enjoyed the woman's torment. She had changed completely – Paul didn't even recognize her anymore and he had to wonder if that was Taker's intent all along.

* * *

Vince kicked off the show with Taker and Kane by his side and announced a match for the next pay-per-view event – Breakdown. He was pitting Stone Cold Steve Austin against BOTH the Undertaker and Kane in a triple threat match. Steve had heard enough and so had Anca as the glass shattered throughout the arena and they headed down to the ring with purpose. Anca wasn't in skirts, refusing to wear them anymore and instead stuck with the blue jean shorts, nothing changed about her appearance except some makeup. She stood beside her brother with folded arms, glaring daggers at McMahon while he ran his mouth about buying protection from the monsters.

When all was said and done, Vince had poked Steve in the chest rather harshly and said, 'Stone Cold screwed Stone Cold', which lit a fire under the Rattlesnake. Steve pounced on Vince as Anca backed away and watched in horror as Taker and Kane both beat her brother down like a dog. She wanted to do something for him, to protect him, but all she could do was stand there and watch while Vince gave instructions for the beatdown. Covering her mouth with her hand, Anca prayed the beating stopped soon, the camera panning in on her face and the tears in her eyes.

It was scripted. Well, scripted, but it looked like the real-life brothers were enjoying themselves just a bit too much. Vince wasn't asking, just going to remind them later that they were going to be fined for their… overenthusiasm. Kane was still not amused with being called a retard, especially since he hadn't done anything to Austin or his sister. Taker just hated Austin. When they were called off, he flipped his hair back over his shoulders, sparing a glance over at Anca and sniffed, shaking his head.

What'd she expect?


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

The tears were called being a good actress and playing the part, not that Vince knew anything about that since he SUCKED at acting. Instead of rushing to her brother, Anca merely stood there, glaring ice daggers at Taker and Kane, waiting to see if they'd make a move. She carefully moved, keeping her eyes locked on the brothers and bent down on one knee to check on her brother, keeping her guard up around the monsters. Steve was alive, so that was a good thing, but they put the boots to him and she knew he'd be sore for his match later that night. Kane's music hit as he and Kane exited the ring, backtracking up the ramp while Anca helped her brother up, concern in her eyes.

They didn't look back; their job was done, and Mark had decided Anciana was no longer on the table. She had fulfilled her purpose, now it was time to start screwing with Austin more; he had been the endgame and she was just a toy he had broken playing it. He rolled his shoulders once they were backstage, cocking a brow when Vince began shouting at him and Glen both for being a little 'aggressive'.

"Fine us."

"I WILL! I need him, you jackass!" Vince swallowed back the next words when Glen stepped forward. "If you uh, don't mind, just… less actual injury out there."

"I'll consider it."

By the time they got to the back, Taker and Kane were nowhere to be found, just Vince and he had an idea to run by Anciana. She listened, raising a brow and blinked. "So, you want Anca to go down to the ring, near the end of Kane and Rocky's match and…do what exactly?"

"Do whatever you like, but make sure to stop Taker from going after The Rock."

That left Anciana with several options and she just nodded at Vince, watching the boss walk away, the gears in her head turning. Stop Taker from going after The Rock…how in the hell was she supposed to do that? She looked up at her brother, who shrugged and knew he wouldn't be any help since he wasn't going out there with her. This would be Anca flying solo and going after the Undertaker. Great. Fantastic. Anciana already knew what she would do, walking with Steve back to his dressing room until it was time to go out for her second appearance of the night.

Mick Foley stopped her from walking away, holding his hand up when Steve immediately got in his face. "I just wanna talk to your sister for a minute, Steve. You know you can trust me."

"DTA, jackass."

"What is it, Mick?"

"I'm going out for that match as well to attack Kane, so I'll have your back in case things go…awry, with the Deadman."

She cracked a very small smile and patted his arm. "Thanks, I appreciate that." Then, she walked away back to the dressing room to wait, deciding since Vince left her to her own devices, this was the perfect way to get some revenge against Taker…and keeping it professional at the same time.

In retrospect, Vince knew he probably shouldn't have done that. He should have established some guidelines or something for Anciana to follow about not injuring one of his top Superstars, one of his most deranged at that. However, he was still a little peeved and being peeved tended to make people do things they shouldn't out of spite. Vince would just see what she'd do and go from there, maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

Austin was pacing a trail back and forth when Anciana came in from talking to Mick. She looked a little… amused. Probably not a good thing for the Deadman. He looked away from her, resuming the fast walking thing he had going, mind wandering.

Before she knew it, Kane and Rocky's match began, with Undertaker out there for distraction. That simply wasn't fair to The Rock, not at all. Smirking, Anciana paced back and forth near gorilla position, watching the monitor and held a steel chair in her hand, waiting for her cue. It came with the referee was knocked out and Taker immediately got in the ring to attack The Rock. Anca flew down to the ring as fast as she could and slid under the bottom rope, the crowd erupting at her entrance.

"HEY RIGAMORTIS?" She shouted, gaining his attention and swung the steel chair as hard as she could, clocking him in the head.

She watched as Taker fell to the mat, the shot not lightened at all and Anca flipped him off before flipping over the top rope to land on her feet. Just then, Mankind came out while Rocky regained his bearings on the outside, the Undertaker laid out on the other side of the ring. Her icy eyes widened as the man clocked Kane between the shoulder blades with a sledgehammer, dropping him like a bad habit.

"Oh shit!" The crowd was going crazy as he slid out of the ring and they both backtracked up it just as Undertaker sat upright, his green eyes nothing more than venom pools. She flipped him off again, alongside Mankind, before they headed behind the curtain.

Vince was…in shock, to put it mildly. "I said to STOP him, not…"

"Do you know a better way to stop a monster from attacking?"

"Good point." Taker was going to be LIVID about this and Vince could already tell this would not end well, especially when the Undertaker grabbed a microphone and demanded a match with Mankind.

"Bring that little Austin bitch…and your sledgehammer."

"Looks like you're accompanying Mankind tonight in his match, Anca."

"Fine by me." Steve wouldn't like it, but he'd get over it since she had simply followed orders from the boss.

"You sure that's alright since her character is Austin's twin?"

"For tonight, yes."

Nothing happened without Vince's blessing and, apparently, Vince was now letting Anciana suck his dick for favors. That was obvious because Vince did not usually let people, who were potentially not a good fit for his company, or a top-level Superstar, take OUT a top-level Superstar. It seemed Anciana was adored and loved by everyone, the little cocksucker.

"Hold still…"

Mark had a hairline cut… he was not amused. "After the show, I'm setting Vince on fire." He hissed, wincing as Paul tended to it. "I'm pretty sure he told us off for laying heavy boots to Austin."

Kane was pretty sure his brother was concussed. That bitch had a swing on her. "What next?"

Honestly? Tylenol. "Leave her alone. Anciana is a drama whore. Don't feed it." Besides, he wanted the honor of strangling her.

Vince probably made a mistake walking in that room when three pairs of eyes turned onto him. One pair sympathetic, one darkly amused, and the other promising death. "Uh… she doesn't know her own strength?" He offered, somehow not surprised when a chair was hurled his way. "I'll come back at a better time."

The match would be simple enough – it would be fairly easy to take out Kane since he had that wicked sledgehammer shot between his shoulder blades earlier. Anciana rationalized in her head and went over what she planned on doing, knowing it would require some serious finesse on her part. First, she had to stay away from Kane and then…Undertaker. He was far more dangerous than Kane, faster and wouldn't hesitate to tear her heart out of her chest, especially after that chair shot. Steve had berated her for being reckless and groaned when she informed him Vince had been the one who left her with no idea what to do or how to stop Undertaker from attacking The Rock. She had come up with a suitable solution, in her mind, and gained a little revenge on him for running her over with a car.

Of course, the whole car bit she didn't tell her brother, not wanting to see him stroke out since he had an upcoming title match that night against Shamrock and at Breakdown against the two monsters. If they could soften them up before then, maybe he had a chance at retaining. Just one had to be severely injured, almost to the point of not being able to participate. Looking up at the clock, Anciana knew it was time to head to gorilla position and kissed her brother's cheek, assuring him she'd be alright. She had this. Mick Foley was pacing, the sledgehammer over his shoulder and grinned toothily at her upon her arrival and had a…dumpster with him. What the hell?

"You ready for this?"

On her way to gorilla position, Anciana had picked up a sledgehammer of her own and nodded, grinning back. "Born ready."

After they made their entrance, with the dumpster no less, out came Undertaker with Kane, a sledgehammer in his hand as well. They all had sledgehammers and…this was not going to be pretty. Mankind threatened the Undertaker with his sledgehammer, preventing him from entering the ring and Anca was beside him, eyes shimmering wickedly under the lights. Kane didn't look so good and was limping, he wasn't a monster after all, apparently. However, the referee took Mankind's sledgehammer away just as the match started and Undertaker had lost his, as well, while Anca rolled expertly out of the ring, still having hold of hers. If Kane came near her, she would clock him and make sure she broke something this time around.

She thought she was cute. Anciana was going out of her way to stay on his radar. He eyed her briefly before spitting over the top rope, turning back to eye Mick who was officially on his hit list for agreeing to let that bitch be out here. All she had to do was stay out of his way and because she was an Austin, she couldn't see past her ego. Fine. Taker and Mick got to 'work' and he focused on what he was doing, which was both hurting Foley and, at the same time, making sure the idiot was able to go home to his wife and son still walking. Anca was still out there running her mouth and, after shoving Foley through that stupid ladder, he turned to glare at her.

"Take your stupid ass to the back, Austin!" He roared, not caring who heard them.

If he had known the real Anciana had a major chip on her shoulder and a mile wide streak of whatever the hell was her brand of crazy, Taker would've hit her harder and taken the prison time. She was going to really hate him soon enough. He wanted her brother; it was like she wasn't into sharing his interest with her twin.

"You wanted me out here, asshole! Do you not remember saying that in your promo earlier?!" Anca shot back, watching his eyes widen in realization and shook her head, snorting. "NOW who's being unprofessional, dick?" She smirked when Mankind shoved him face first into the ring pole and hoped he had a concussion after that shot. Taker was out of his mind or he simply got his brains scrambled far too much to remember he'd specifically told Foley to 'bring that bitch Austin and your sledgehammer'. Apparently, he didn't remember saying those words and had a feeling Vince would call him on it once the match ended.

Toward the end, Mankind was in a bad way and Anca wanted to help him, gripping her sledgehammer tightly in her hands. All she had to do was take one more shot at Kane's back, right where Mankind had earlier, and it would all be over. All of a sudden, the dumpster lid opened, and the Rock came out to save Mankind. Anca's jaw dropped, her eyes wide as the Great One, as he deemed himself, went to war against the monsters. Or so she thought. Instead, he got Mankind the hell out of there, making him go through the crowd and took his ass up the rampway with Taker and Kane stalking after him. Anca was left out there alone and slowly made her way to the back as well, dropping her sledgehammer once behind the curtain. What the actual fuck just happened?

Vince wanted to know the same thing! "Did you know about that?!"

"I swear to god, I had no idea Mick planned that. I saw the dumpster and thought there were weapons in there or some shit." Hell, she hadn't even used her sledgehammer like a good girl, so that warranted her some points, right?

Vince eyed her, knowing Taker and Kane were on a warpath right now and went to find them, deciding to believe her this once. Their warpath brought them backstage soon enough and he shoved her out of his way none too gently, a hand on his head. The bitch had nailed him with a chair earlier, so he was concussed very likely. Mark didn't look back, knowing a shove was the least of what he wanted to do to her right now. His brother was going to lose his mind over a woman. Steve Austin's twin. Glen didn't know whether to feel sorry for the idiot or be amused. Sometimes, when playing a game, people tended to forget that they were also a piece on the board. Mark had fallen into his own trap. He was cradling his arm, chokeslamming Foley's plump ass had been a bad idea.

"Way to be professional, jackass!" Anciana shouted at his retreating form, shaking her head and dusted herself off before heading to her brother's dressing room to see if he was ready for his match. Was it her fault Rocky was in the dumpster waiting to jump them? No! She didn't have anything to do with it and, yet, Taker had to be a dickhead and shove her. "I should be thankful it wasn't another car." She muttered under her breath, pushing the door open and saw her brother getting ready.

"You are…out of your fuckin' mind, Anci." Then Steve proceeded to laugh his ass off and shook his bald head at her, lacing up his boots.

"Yeah well, that's what happens when you get ran over by a car and lose your memories – you tend to go a little crazy." Not to mention, Anciana was in so much emotional and mental pain, it was all she could do to hold it in until she was back at the hotel later that night to let it all out…with high volumes of alcohol.

"Uh… Mrs. Calaway?" There was a timid knock on the dressing room door and when it was opened, there was a courier boy, holding out a box. He stared up into Steve Austin's face, holding it out. "This is um, for Mrs. Calaway." He had been hired earlier in the day and it had taken forever to find this place, then gaining access inside.

Steve eyed the box and the big red bow, frowning. He shut the door in the kid's face, turning to hold it up for Anciana to see. "Who the fuck is sendin' you board games?" It was Monopoly.

This was a low blow and Anciana took the board game out of the box before throwing it as hard as she could against the wall. The pieces scattered all over the floor, flying in all directions and she began ripping up the paper money as fast as she could, tears burning her eyes. That son of a bitch! All she wanted to do was rip her hair out and scream to the heavens, but she couldn't, not until she was alone. "It's nothing…" Absolutely nothing…and Anciana refused to elaborate to her brother, sitting in the far corner of the room, drawing her knees up to her chest. Her face buried in her knees and she took deep, shaky breaths, trying to calm down after that outburst, her nails digging into her palms.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

The main event against Shamrock went well…until that big dead bastard and his retarded brother came barreling out from the back to attack both competitors. Anca cheered Steve on, ignoring Taker shooting her a deadly glare and flipped him off in return. Suddenly, Mankind and the Rock came barreling out from the back, completely unexpected and began hammering the monsters. Anca immediately handed her brother an equalizer, a steel chair, and took sick pleasure watching it crash against Taker's back and then Kane's skull.

They were down for the count with Mankind and Rock still beating on them. Steve rolled out of the ring as Vince McMahon came out, looking shocked his insurance policy had been taken out by the Texas Rattlesnake. Anca followed, but kept an eye on the ring just in case Taker and Kane tried coming after them. They were too occupied, however. Vince ran to the back like a scalded dog and Steve was hot on his trail with a steel chair in hand, ready to dish out pain, which concluded Raw.

Once in the back, Anciana kissed her brother's cheek and told him she was headed to the hotel, the exhaustion creeping in her eyes. She promised to get in touch with him in the morning and headed out, her bag already in the Cutlass Sierra she had driven here in. Steve could only watch her walk down the hallway, noticing the way his sister carried herself and once again vowed to kill Mark for hurting his twin the way he had.

On the way back to the hotel, Anciana finally let some of her emotional pain out and cried, somehow making it to her destination without crashing her car.

* * *

"Hey Austin, how's your sister?"

"Don't… enough man, just fuckin' enough!" Steve was so damn tired of this crap. Worrying about his own ass, on top of Anciana's obvious issues; if he had hair, he would've been going gray. "What more do you fuckin' want with her? You already destroyed her life."

"Sure… which is why she's here, in the company she worked for so hard… with her twin. I did her a favor."

He recoiled when Taker's face was suddenly in his, feeling his stomach doing something very weird. It churned.

"Maybe I should run her over again…" Mark whispered, venomous green eyes lighting up when Steve's face went dark. "Or just fuck it out of her, you have a preference?"

Steve let out a strangled noise right before Glen popped him in the head. Payback was going to continue being a bitch. Even better, they weren't at work, so Vince could copulate with himself. He raised a tired hand to his brother before walking off. Glen wasn't about to help Mark go try reigning in his wife, that was all on big brother.

After a long shower, Anciana cracked open a bottle of Tequila and poured herself a shot, then another, wearing just the cotton white robe the hotel provided. She sat on the bed, staring out the window and wished she could forget everything about Mark Calaway. For months, she wanted her memories back and now…she wished the amnesia would return, just so she could forget all about Mark. He had destroyed her life, even if she had wound up in the WWF. This isn't the way she wanted to get here…to be in her twin brother's shadow. Granted, that was more than most women in the back received in this line of work.

Maybe bashing her head against the wall or flying off the balcony would make her forget, or kill her. Taking a 6th shot, Anciana felt a hell of a buzz and slid open the balcony door to step on it, staring out in the night. It would be quick and painless since she was several stories up…and Anciana couldn't believe the thoughts floating through her mind right now. Suicide, she was actually wanting to commit suicide, just so she could forget about Mark fucking Calaway! Stumbling back into the room, Anciana dropped to the bed and buried her face in a pillow, screaming as loud and hard as she could, muffling it.

"Is it that bad, Ciana?" His voice was a dark caress, tinged with something _almost_ regretful. "Does it hurt so deeply that you feel it might be something you'll never be rid of?"

Mark could relate to that, or perhaps, it was just the concussion she had given him talking. Honestly, after reflecting on their time together, after running her over – he would forever maintain that was an accident – he had reached the conclusion he had not been bad to Anciana. If anything, he had gone above and beyond for her. Sure, prior to her coming on the road, Mark had tormented the ever-loving hell out of her brother with snide remarks and comments the drunken idiot wasn't always able to decipher. However, to her, he'd been quite attentive. Camping, games, dinner and bonfires outside, watching movies with her, talking to Anciana about anything and everything, going above and beyond when she wanted to do things her way because it didn't feel right, which included her teasing and tormenting him until blue balls became part of the routine he had to deal with. He had lied, yes, but so had others and just reinforced it.

His voice was in her head now, taunting her, tormenting her and Anciana just cried harder, trying to get all the memories she had with Mark out of her head. The Monopoly game – what a low blow that'd been to send to her. The pool incident where she'd NEARLY given into him…though did anyway soon after. All the 'I love yous', all of the times she woke up in his arms…the camping trip, which was their first date… Mark had broken her in ways no human being should ever have to endure. Physically pain healed, but emotional and mental pain was much more excruciating.

"Go away, please…g-go away…" She whispered, clutching her head while rocking back and forth on the bed, fisting the robe in her other hand over her destroyed heart. "M-Make it stop…please make it stop…I can't…I can't take it…" Another scream muffled into the pillow as her body trembled, the tears streaming like a rapid river down her cheeks.

Anciana wasn't hearing him in her head, she was hearing him in the room. He had proven, several times, he had no problem with tracking her down and getting access to where she was staying. Mark even knew she had gone to see her parents, though he had also spotted Ken out patrolling with a gun and rather liked the feisty old man. He wouldn't force Williams senior into shooting him, and he knew exactly what that gun was for: shooting his ass.

"I can't," He whispered, towering over the bed, the pain in her voice cutting him in ways he hadn't realized were possible. "I wish I could, Ciana."

"Y-You promised me…You promised me you wouldn't break my heart…and hurt me. YOU PROMISED! YOU LIED TO ME! IT WAS ALL A LIE!" All of that was muffled, but it could be heard clearly.

She was nothing more than a game, a pawn in Taker's chess game, in order to get to her brother. It all boiled down to Taker's obsession over the WWF title and wanting to make Steve suffer. Anciana had been used and discarded like garbage, her virginity, her heart and spirit going with it. It wasn't until he brushed a tear away from her cheek did Anciana realize she wasn't alone. He wasn't in her head…HE WAS IN HER ROOM! Anciana snapped her head up from her face being buried in the pillow and locked eyes with the man who claimed to love her and protect her, teardrops splattering on her already tear-soaked pillow.

"It wasn't all a lie…" Mark whispered, reaching out to brush away another tear.

He was fully expecting to be hit again; she was more than a firecracker and had proven that. He hadn't broken her heart, her memories had resurfaced, and she hadn't been able to reconcile who she was with who she had been, including him. That was what had broken her. He would have continued on, they could have stayed the same, but only if and if's were not a very good variable.

"Not everything you felt was a lie, Ciana."

Her face was nothing more than a mess of tears, red and swollen, lifeless sky blues with red laced in them. Anciana hadn't slept well since this all went down, for obvious reasons. "Yes, it was. You…ran me over with a car. On purpose…"

Anciana backed away from him and stumbled to her feet, wiping her face of the excess tears. She did not want him here. Taker would just use her breakdown as leverage in this game with her brother and she wanted no part of it. How the hell did he even get in her room in the first place?!

"It doesn't matter all the good times we had together. It doesn't matter that I…" Grabbing her bottle of Tequila, Anciana didn't bother with the shot glass and took a swig of it from the bottle, the burning of her esophagus welcoming. "It doesn't matter that I loved you and gave myself to you every way…none of it matters because it was all a fucking lie. It was all built on a lie…" Taking the shot glass, she threw it as hard as she could against the wall, in the opposite direction of him, and watched it shatter into a million pieces.

"No." He argued firmly, moving around the bed until he was behind her, his body tense, waiting for the blow. She had beaned him earlier and split him open; he knew she'd do it again if she felt so inclined. "You know it wasn't all a lie, Ciana…" His hands slid up her arms, feeling that robe, until he was cupping her throat, feeling her swallow and bent down to inhale her scent.

"I-I don't know what to believe anymore…" Anciana remarked truthfully, looking up at the ceiling with fresh tears in her eyes and shut them, letting them flow down her cheeks.

She was at his mercy, not having the strength or energy to push him away right now. Her body responded to him and always had, even when she fought herself not to have sex with him. There was a reason she hadn't felt a connection right away…and it was because he had nearly killed her. Hell, he DID kill part of her, just not physically like he'd apparently been aiming for.

"End it…end me, if that's what you want. You wanted to kill me, why else would you run me over with a car? So just put an end to me already, Taker. Put me out of my misery…" At least the pain she currently felt would be gone.

"Regardless of what you think, Anciana, I did not MEAN to run you over. I was careless in my driving, I will give you that, but that was accidental." Mark asserted, staring down at her intently. "I was coming to see you… I had only found out about you…" They both knew his motives were less than altruistic. "You having amnesia… well… that was not my intention either, but…"

"Yes you did…you're manipulating me again! That's what you do! You manipulate and warp people's minds! I can't…" Anciana shook her head, trying to find some kind of willpower to break away from him, to get his hand off her throat, to not feel his touch or her heart break all over again. "You've mangled and twisted my mind…my heart…my spirit…you completely destroyed me…" Taker got what he wanted, he had turned her world upside down, even if he didn't mean to hit her with a car, even if it was an accident. No matter what, something of this magnitude would've happened and she was powerless to stop it. "You can't hurt me anymore than you already have or break me, Taker…I'm completely broken…"

"No, you're not, Ciana." He whispered, now hovering over her, but he didn't press his weight into hers, didn't stop her from taking any shots she wanted. Mark was wearing a cup tonight, liking his boys where they were and not lodged in his body, unless it was cold. "You're not broken, but you got to start processing, darlin'. You're not the same woman you were before that day, and you have to reconcile that." That wasn't something he could help with and he knew it.

"No, I'm not. Not at all. I'm a shell of my former self. I used to be driven and would've given ANYTHING to become a professional wrestler."

Short of actually stripping, which Anciana had contemplated a time or two because of her toned body. She was a virgin though, at the time, and didn't want to show her body off to a bunch of strangers for money. That didn't sit well with her, even though that's what women in the wrestling business did. It was a catch .22, but her passion for wrestling never ceased.

"You made me this way, even if you 'accidentally' hit me with your car. You were on your way to use me against my twin brother, who I hadn't seen in 18 years. All those stories you fabricated about our past together…those were memories I had longed for…and none of it was real. It was all a lie…and I don't know how to live with that. I don't know how to deal with this pain I'm in. I hate you, Mark." It was the first time she had called him by his actual name since this all went down. "I hate you for doing this to me…for making me love you and hurting me…" He whipped her around to face him, the tears never once stopping and didn't fight him off when his mouth captured hers. "I hate you…for making me love you…" Then, she kissed him this time, hard, fierce and passionate.

There was a lot of emotion in that kiss on her end and Mark could feel the hatred in it as well. The confusion, desperation, the anger, and most of all, the hatred. That was… expected, but at the same time, he felt something of his own cresting as a response. Those memories… of course, he had fabricated them, she had amnesia and he knew, while he hadn't done it for reasons that were good, he felt justified in blaming a small portion of it on that doctor. Not that none of it mattered because it didn't.

"Make new memories, Ciana," He whispered against her lips. "With me."

She didn't know if it was the copious amounts of Tequila in her system or his sweet words pleading with her, but Anciana pulled away from him, undid the tie on her robe and let it fall from her body. He had broken her already, she had nothing left to lose and they'd already had sex. Mark had taken her virginity, tricked her into surrendering to him, so what was the point in fighting?

"Stop with the sweet talk, we both know you really came here for one thing." Pushing the leather vest off his shoulders and down his arms, Anciana glided her nails down his chest none too gently and could see his acidic eyes smolder over, thunderous clouds in them, the same as her. "So take me, do whatever you want to me…"

Why did women think offering themselves up as martyrs was sexy? It wasn't. Anciana was beautiful, desirable, but Mark knew she didn't want him, not really, and she sure wasn't sober. If anything, fucking her now would fuel whatever was going on inside of her, that hatred. She reeked of tequila and it was with a lot of inner strength that he pried himself away from his temptation of a wife.

"Not like this, Ciana…"

"Why not? This is what you came here for, right? To coax me into bed and have your wicked way with me." Anciana stumbled, laughing and it was bone-chilling, not an ounce or shred of happiness in her tone. "I-I'm broken, shattered, just like you wanted…and now you don't want me? You make no sense, Taker. Just stop trying to manipulate me and being a gentleman and fuck me already. See, I'll even get in the position for you and make it easy for that cock of yours to slide inside of me." Another laugh echoed around the room as Anciana got on all fours, her backside in the air waiting to be penetrated. "Hell, fuck my ass if you want. You've taken me in every other position and hole anyway."

This wasn't her at all. Either way, he was screwed because, if Anciana remembered anything from tonight at all, she would remember him either taking advantage of her and, her ass, or she would be embarrassed because she had offered everything and then some up and he had spurned her. "Go to bed, Anciana, you're drunk." He ordered sternly, pushing her wiggling ass out of his way.

"Who would've thought the Undertaker, of all people, couldn't get it up when a woman actually throws herself at him?" Anciana slid from the bed, stumbling over to the nearly empty bottle of Tequila and finished it off, dropping it to the carpeted floor. She now had a 5th of Tequila in her system, no food and was plastered. "Fine, you don't wanna fuck me? I'll find someone else who does then." Swiping her robe from the floor, Anciana managed to slip it on and tied it loosely about her waist, laughing. "Maybe I'll let the bellhop in, order some late room service and let him have his way with me. Yeah – yeah that sounds good…" Stumbling over to the nightstand, Anciana grabbed the phone and laid on the bed, trying to clear her blurry vision. "Now where is that zero…?"

Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the back of the phone and disconnected it. "Right here, darlin'."

Mark then guided her finger to the zero, watching as she began trying to get someone on the dead line. Shaking his head, he slipped into the bathroom to start drawing the shower. Anciana drunk was… a bad idea. He was beginning to think the Williams' children had alcohol problems, which parent had been the alcoholic. Mark hadn't taken offense to her comments about getting it up, she was drunk and going to run her mouth. He also wasn't about to lay hands on her; this was dangerously close to Julia territory and the last thing he needed was to be seen coming out of this room after she had done something to herself.

Just as Taker came out of the bathroom, Anciana had managed to make it to the door, since her phone wasn't working, and was pulled back, the door closing. A few seconds with her kicking and clawing had her in an ice cold shower, with robe on, as Taker held her underneath them to make the sprays hit her directly in the face. It wasn't until she began sputtering and coughing that he released her, making her slump against the shower wall and floor, the pain returning. It was more intense than before, the euphoric numb gone that the alcohol gave her.

"W-Why?" Anciana was back to crying again, burying her face in her hands and felt the sprays shut off, releasing her pain all over again. She couldn't even talk or yell at him, just curled up in the shower and sobbed, her entire body trembling from both the pent-up emotions and the icy water.

Because he was an asshole. Because as interesting as taking her drunken ass sounded, he knew better. Because Mark wasn't prepared to deal with the rage of Anciana Williams in the morning or be called a rapist. Because maybe there was a sliver of something good in him that wasn't going to take advantage, period. Because he loved her. He didn't know, he just knew sex with her, while she was drunk, was a bad idea. Sighing, Mark grabbed a handful of towels, guiding her up, divesting her of the robe and wrapped her in the towels instead. He wasn't sure 'why' anymore himself.

How could someone as cold and vindictive as this man still be warm to the touch? Anciana leaned against him, his arms encircling her waist and felt his hot breath on her neck, soaking in the warmth as much as she could. The tears still fell down her cheeks silently, droplets landing on his arms and Anciana sniffled, not sure what to think or even say. Lifting her in his arms, Taker carted her out to the bed and gently lay her down while he sifted through her clothes and pulled out a midnight blue nightgown along with fresh garments. She hadn't bothered putting any clothes on, just the robe when she took a shower earlier. Pulling her up, Anciana lifted her arms as he first put her bra and panties on before the nightgown, laying her back down. All the crying, screaming and drinking she'd done took its toll as her eyes closed with Taker still in the room, unable to stay awake.

Anciana was out cold and he had to wonder if she was going to remember any of this. Sighing, Mark stood up, eyes on that tequila bottle and shook his head. How many times had she gotten herself plastered since getting all her memories back? Then, his eyes narrowed to acidic slits. How many men had she drunkenly called to fuck her? The Ciana he knew may have pulled something like that… probably not. Cursing under his breath, he stormed out of the room, leaving her to sleep it off. Now HE needed a drink.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

At Breakdown, Steve lost the championship by being double-chokeslammed and both monsters had pinned him for the victory. Vince had run away with the Smoking Skull belt, the championship, and screamed at Steve it was his and Steve didn't have it anymore. The following Raw, Steve showed up on a Zamboni, with Anca beside him, and crashed McMahon's party by leaping off the Zamboni onto the Chairman, beating the hell out of him before Taker and Kane intervened.

Steve was arrested and taken out of the arena with Anca following. Later that night, Vince had his ankle shattered, by Taker and Kane, after announcing their match at Judgment Day for the WWF title and insulting them to their faces. Taker had warned him to watch his ass and Vince hadn't listened, flipping them both off and caught him red-handed. He paid the price and now had a shattered ankle for his troubles.

Judgment Day, Steve Austin was the special guest referee and let the monsters beat the living hell out of each other. Anca watched from ringside, helping Steve whenever he asked and laughed the entire time as Taker and Kane destroyed one another. Suddenly, Paul Bearer came out from the back with a steel chair and it looked as though he was aligning himself with his son, Kane, again. Only, that wasn't the case.

He had struck Kane with the chair, which unfazed him and turned his back on the Big Red Machine, aligning himself with Undertaker again. It was a reconciliation of hellacious proportions. Anca could only watch as Steve refused to make the count for Taker, flipped the man off and stunned him into next week. Then, Steve counted them both out by doing the 3-count on the mat, ending the match and pissing on Vince's idea. For that, he was fired publicly by Vince McMahon, who was in a box of sorts that protected him.

So many things happened afterward, but ultimately, Shane McMahon reinstated Stone Cold Steve Austin into the company, behind Vince's back. It was an iron-clad, binding contract and it also guaranteed Austin a title shot whenever he wanted it. Anciana just went with the flow, following her brother everywhere and kept to herself. She remembered every single thing of that night Taker visited her, even him taking care of her, which messed her up emotionally and mentally even more. Steve kept asking her if she was alright and all she could do was shake her head, not wanting to talk to him about it. He backed off, leaving her be and they continued working.

The night of November 16, 1998, Undertaker finally struck again and interfered in Steve's world title shot by hitting him in the head with a shovel. Anca screamed out, covering her mouth with her hand and didn't dare get in the ring while he was in there, staring down at Steve with a thoughtful expression on his face. What the HELL?! Steve had been inches away from reclaiming what he'd been robbed of all those months ago at Judgment Day and Undertaker cheated him out of it! Anca was pissed and worried for her brother, backing up from the ring the moment Taker's eyes snapped to her. They hadn't spoken or really interacted with each other since Judgment Day.

During the house shows later that week, Steve actually blacked out in his match, which wasn't scripted. The shovel shot wasn't scripted either and Anciana couldn't believe Taker had done this to her twin. They were currently at a hospital with a bunch of machines attached to her irritated, pissed off brother. Anciana groaned when a WWF camera crew came into the room, wanting the fans to know how Stone Cold was holding up. She tried pushing them out, but Steve stopped them and had his sister sit back down in her chair, yelling about how he was going to destroy the Undertaker.

The nurse and doctor told Steve he had to get some sleep because his blood pressure had skyrocketed, which wasn't a good thing. The camera crew left for the moment as Anciana stood up from the chair and walked over to stare out the window, not seeing the hearse pull up outside of the hospital. The WWF audience did since there was another camera outside, but Anciana and Steve were clueless as to what was about to happen.

Taker was fairly patient, knowing sleeping medication was definitely on the list for Austin because he was that kind of asshole. Snorting, he sent Paul scurrying ahead, already knowing Anciana would be there because wherever her brother went, she followed. Like the broken little puppy that she was. He had, since that night, become a bit more sadistic, a bit quieter backstage… Anciana was always there, whispering her vile little words at the back of his mind. Well tonight, he'd be smothering her brother and then it was her turn.

"Miss Austin?" A nurse poked her head in. "We need you to sign these forms, please."

He really hoped ether was going to do the trick on that woman.

"Yes, of course."

Anciana took the clipboard with the papers and began looking them over while her brother slept. Steve needed all the sleep he could get right now. That concussion was nasty, grade A…Taker had NOT lightened the blow and, after speaking with Vince over the phone, they found out the man acted on his volition. Rubbing her temples, Anciana scrawled her signature on the paperwork, writing Williams, and set them aside on the table since the nurse had left to attend to other patients. Yawning, she walked back over and took her seat beside Steve, taking his hand as tears welled in her eyes. Even though she was broken and a mess on the inside, on the outside she had to be strong for her twin.

"I love you, Stevie." She whispered, kissing his hand and let the silent tears flow, wishing Taker would just leave them alone.

Lights were being dimmed on the floor as the nurses began their nightly routine of getting the patients down and settled. When the nurse's station dimmed as well, Paul hit the button on his pager, procuring his small flask and cloth. Knock her out, that was all he had to do. Had Taker bothered to remember what that woman was capable of? Anca would let herself be knocked out or Taker would tie her ass to a chair and make her watch as he suffocated her brother.

Anciana wasn't startled that the lights had gone out because it was time for the patients to rest. Holding her brother's hand, Anciana leaned back against her chair…and that was her mistake. The second she did, a cloth was placed over her mouth, fighting against it and screamed into it, inhaling the ether it held. Whoever had a hold of her was using her hair against her, wrenching her head back in order to slap the cloth over her mouth.

Her eyes drooped, her body grew limp and she was out after 30 seconds of fighting, her adrenaline keeping her awake longer than normal. The cloth was removed from her mouth while Steve remained sleeping in his hospital bed, Vince had left a camera behind in the hospital room, just in case something happened. Slumping to the floor in a heap, Anciana didn't see Steve being smothered with a pillow by none other than Undertaker while Paul Bearer stood over here.

"OH MY GOD, KING! WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO THAT POOR YOUNG WOMAN?!"

"We gotta get outta here…"

Oh, he was tempted to smother Austin to death and probably would have, if not for Paul's worried admonishments they needed to get out of there. Cursing under his breath, he pushed away from Austin, smirking at how red-faced and desperate to inhale that sweet air Austin was. He spared a sideways glance at Paul, nodding before stooping to pull Anciana in his arms.

"Fair trade, Austin, your sister for your life." Taker chuckled, tossing her over his shoulder and vacating the room, Paul nervously trailing behind him.

When Anciana came to, she was planted on a pile of dirt and could hear the outdoors, slowly opening her eyes to stare up at the night sky. "S-Stevie…" Her throat was dry and Anciana felt nauseous, trying to sit up, but her body wouldn't move. "W-What…?"

Turning her head, she spotted Bill – no Paul Bearer – staring at her and felt her heart rate pick up in speed. Taker…Taker had to be here, wherever they were as Anciana rolled on her side, trying to get her body to cooperate with her. They had drugged her, she remembered being grabbed from behind in her chair by her hair and then…nothing. Darkness met her memory.

"Taker – Taker, she's awake!" Paul pointed a shaking finger at the woman, beady eyes wide. "W-What do you wanna do?!" Were they really going to bury her alive?

"What do you think we're going to do, Paul?" Came Taker's derisive reply, followed by a shovel being tossed upwards and out of the hole he had been digging. A second later, his tattooed arms appeared, lit by the lone lantern they had brought and hoisted himself out of the grave. Green eyes landed on Anciana as he pulled himself to his feet, brushing the dirt off his hands. "We stick to the plan; an Austin is an Austin."

Even through the thick fog in her brain, thanks to the ether, Anciana heard him clear as day and felt tears sting her eyes. He was going to bury her alive? Is that what Paul said? What happened to coming to her hotel room and taking care of her, pleading to make new memories with him? Taker ran hot and cold…it gave her whiplash. Granted, she hadn't helped the situation claiming to let the bellhop have his way with her…that had probably pissed him off. Now he probably thought she actually DID whore around, when that wasn't the truth. All Anciana did was work as Anca and then go back to the hotel to drink herself into a stupor to numb the pain this monster inflicted on her.

Why wasn't she fighting this? Did she actually want to be buried alive? Paul had pulled out the video camera Taker instructed him to bring, which was connected to the arena, wanting the whole world to witness this.

"Are you scared, Anca? Do you KNOW what awaits you in that 6-foot deep grave?"

The camera was in her face now and all she could do was nod. "Peace." Her weak voice replied just as her body was pushed into the grave.

"No – NO, they can't do this to her! For heaven's sake!"

Anciana landed on body pillows, which was why he had been down there so long, arranging it for her because… that was, technically, his wife. He wasn't out to totally kill her. While Paul laughed into the camera, he began shoveling in the dirt, hoping she was smart enough to use the square of plexiglass down there to protect her face. Probably not, she was a bit… dazed and confused, so to speak. He aimed for her legs, knowing the camera was now on him, showing him burying Anca Austin alive.

What the hell was going on? Why were their pillows down here? Frowning, Anciana was too out of it to understand what Taker was doing.

"Wait, you're not gonna do this now?"

"No, I got a better idea. This is too good for an Austin."

Paul giggled maniacally, looking down at the woman on the pillows, face first. "W-What are we gonna do?"

"We're gonna embalm her."

"Alive?!"

"We're gonna embalm her alive."

"WHAT?!" JR shrieked over his headset while watching this in horror.

"Anca, you're going to know what pain is…REAL pain."

She was lifted up from the pillows into his arms, her body limp while Paul slapped the ether-soaked cloth over her mouth again, knocking her out all over again. Her body was set in the back of the hearse while Paul and Taker got in the front, driving off moments later from the gravesite.

"Are you sure you want to embalm her?"

"Sure. I'll prop her up in our bedroom at home and look at her whenever I'm feeling nostalgic."

Paul shook his head. That was just disgusting and disturbing. "I can't understand why she'd leave you, you're such a catch…"

Mark began laughing at that, though there was no humor in it. "By the time I'm done, she'll never leave me again."

The camera panned into the hearse pulling up to a local funeral parlor before cutting out again for commercial. When they came back, Anca was laid out on a table, her blonde hair splayed all around her. Some of her clothes were dirty from the dirt by the grave since she'd landed on all pillows in the 6-foot hole. She had little smudges of dirt across her cheeks as well, dirt in her hair as well. Paul got to work setting her up properly, placing her hands one on top of the other on her torso. The Deadman busied himself with the dagger he would use for the embalming as Paul tied on an apron and placed a block for her head to rest on.

Anciana slowly began to awaken again, but didn't open her eyes for fear of what she would see. She could hear Paul and Taker talking again and Paul began cutting directly up the middle of the Austin 3:16 t-shirt she had on. Taker was right above her, she could feel him and Anciana was too weak to stop this from happening, hoping he ended her life quickly. The pain would go with it and he'd finally be rid of her. Her black lace bra was flashed for the world to see as her chest rose and fell steadily, due to the ether.

"That's what it's all ABOUT!"

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD, DON'T DO THIS! SOMEBODY HELP HER!"

He could practically hear Vince, JR, and big-mouthed Lawler screaming, even though those idiots were nowhere around. Taker was banking on someone saving Anciana, else wise he would have to either commit an actual murder on national television, let her go, or pray that Paul had enough sense to turn that camera off, so he didn't have to do either. He bent down, so his mouth was brushing her earlobe.

"Deep breath, darlin'. It's almost over." He whispered soothingly.

"W-What…?"

Anciana was so confused right now, a single tear falling from the corner of her eye and kept her eyes closed, taking deep breaths as instructed. What was this all about? Why did she have to be drugged in order to do this, if it was part of work? The shovel shot to Steve's skull wasn't; Vince had told them that. Suddenly, Taker began chanting in tongues, a language she didn't understand, which confused her further. If she would've opened her eyes, she would've seen a HUGE silver dagger looming over her, ready to be plunged in her chest.

"I-It's KANE! KANE!" Paul shrieked out in his shrill voice and took the dagger, ready to finish his master's job, but Anciana caught him at the last second.

"Get…away…from…ME!" She shoved him none too gently, making him land flat on his fat ass and rolled off the embalming table, her head killing her.

"IT'S KANE! KANE IS HERE!"

Anciana didn't bother looking back, reaching the stairs and immediately emptied the contents of her stomach, tears pouring down her cheeks. Once she finished, Anciana kept going and pulled herself up the stairs, needing to find the exit. Even if she did, how the hell was she supposed to drive?

The camera feed was disrupted and that was it. Paul was tired and sore. "She's probably down there puking…"

Nodding, Glen vacated the room after giving his brother a look. He had nailed him pretty hard. Given what had just happened, he was perhaps the only one who would be able to get close to Anciana right now. If she had seen that dagger… she was also probably shitting bricks.

Little brother had swung hard on purpose… Mark hissed, a hand at his temple.

Outside, Anciana emptied more of her stomach in the grass and kept running, stumbling away from the funeral home. The hearse sent chills up and down her spine, refusing to go near it and tears streaked her cheeks under the moonlight. Her shirt was currently shredded during the 'procedure', so she was just in blue jean shorts and a black lace bra. Stumbling again, this time Anciana went down and scraped her knee and elbow, looking back at the funeral home through blurred vision. Unable to run any further, Anciana dropped to her knees and gripped her hair in her hands, screaming out to the silence before throwing up for a third time.

"Finished?"

Glen had been watching her, noticing her entire body give a start before stepping forward. Slowly, deliberately, and he made sure to give her a wide berth, letting Anciana see him before crouching down before her. She looked like hell.

"Come on." He stood, halfway, and extended his hands to her. "Before he comes." That was about the only warning she was going to get from him. Mark was in there, dealing with the blows Glen had landed on him.

"W-Why?" She croaked out, her throat killing her from all the vomiting she'd done and screaming afterward. "W-Why are you h-helping me?"

"Payback."

Taker had admitted to being the one who set the fire that burnt Kane's face…in a promo the Raw after Judgment Day. When he realigned himself with Paul Bearer and turned his back on Kane…and his fans. Anciana didn't know if she could trust this monster, but…she was out of options. She had no idea where they were and had to get back to Steve, who was hopefully still at the hospital. Anciana shakily rose her hand and grasped his gloved one, letting him pull her to her feet.

"T-Thank you…" She whispered, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks and blinked when he swept her up with ease in his arms, carrying her further away from the funeral home.

Venomous green eyes watched as Glen carried Anciana away, knowing little brother had a car somewhere down the road, somewhere where he could quietly park and creep up. He shook his head, wondering what was going through Anciana's mind right now, what she was thinking. Mark had warned her, a couple of times, not to trust Vince McMahon and that, on occasion, real life got pulled into this business, but there was a bottom line.

"He'll make sure she gets back to her brother?"

"You did leave him alive, yes?"

"We were being broadcasted live on national television. If I was to commit a murder, I'd be a bit more discrete than that, you know better."

Anciana's near fatal accident came to mind.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

When Steve woke up and saw Anciana was once again with him, in the hospital, in a bed beside him, he immediately demanded what the hell happened. Anciana cried, sobbing through the horrendous story Taker and Paul Bearer had put her through. The gravesite with the pillows in the 6-foot hole, the funeral home, and embalming room, Kane saving her…all of it. Steve immediately checked them out of the hospital, after making sure his sister was alright. He passed his tests with flying colors and booked flights home for both of them.

Anciana currently sat in her bedroom, staring out the window and tried to wrap her mind around what happened to her. Sleep evaded her because, every time she closed her eyes, she had nightmares of Taker actually embalming her alive or burying her alive. Her door was closed, locked; Anciana wanted to be alone right now and drew her knees up to wrap her arms around, resting her cheek on them as the tears fell freely. Would this pain, would the tears, ever go away and stop?

"She's not sleepin', we keep checkin' and she's always awake."

"In her shoes, would you be sleepin', Mom?" Steve had his own place to go home, but it didn't feel right abandoning his twin after what had happened to her.

"What the hell ever happened to this shit bein' fake, Steven? How the hell can he get away with doin' that shit on national television?"

Because they worked for the devil. Not that he'd say it out loud. "I'll go talk to her." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his bald head and started for Anciana's bedroom.

Hearing the knock on her bedroom door, Anciana wiped her tears away and walked over to unlock it, pulling it open to stare back at her twin. "I'm not hungry, Stevie…" Her voice was low and broken, dark circles rimming her eyes. He pushed her inside the room and Anciana merely sat down on the bed, clasping her hands in her lap. "What is it?"

"Anci, I know what happened scared you and you can bet yer ass we're gonna get revenge on him. I promise, I've already been in touch with Kane and…we have a plan. We have a plan to get rid of that bastard and his fat accomplice."

"What do you mean?"

Steve smiled, sitting down beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "What if I were to tell ya that you can break a shovel over that bastard's head? Would you be on board?"

Red-rimmed, swollen blue eyes looked up at her brother, seeing how serious he was and the fire in his own eyes. "Really?" She had to admit, after what Taker put her through, the thought of gaining a measure of retribution sounded great. "Tell me what your plan is."

"With pleasure, now pay attention."

Her eyes grew wider and wider as her twin explained what he and Kane had planned, knowing if ONE thing went wrong with this, they would all pay the price. "I'm in."

"What the hell are they laughin' about up there?"

Beverly wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know. Whenever her twins had laughed like that before, when they were younger, bad things had happened to people who had gotten them riled up. She could recall a time, or two Steve had been picked on, or Anci, and they had paired up to defend each other.

"Just get that tray of food up there for her while she's in a good mood."

Steve had her laughing about their childhood, reminding her of all the times they had teamed up to beat the shit out of anyone who messed with one or both of them. Being twins gave them an unbreakable bond, unshakeable and Anciana hadn't laughed since the night Taker had visited her hotel room. When she was drunk off her ass and spouting a bunch of crap that wasn't true.

"Can I confess something to you without you judging me?"

"You can tell me anythin', sis." Steve caressed her face, kissing the crown of her head. "Talk to me. I'm here for you, I'm not goin' anywhere."

Nodding, Anciana lowered her head and could feel fresh tears welling in her eyes. "I still love him. I still think about him and dream about him, he's the reason I don't sleep much. Some dreams are good, and some are bad. But I think what hurts the most is how much I miss him." Her voice cracked with her confession, hoping, praying, Steve didn't get upset with her over it. "I don't know how to get rid of him…forget about him…I don't know how to get rid of this pain I'm constantly in, Stevie. And I'm afraid it's going to kill me if I don't…alleviate it somehow."

Steve wasn't mad at her. He was mad at Taker for doing this to her. Playing one giant ass, life-changing mind game on her. That's all it was, a giant mind game. Hell, Taker hadn't even cared for Anciana, that much was obvious; all she'd been was a tool to get to him, as egotistical as that sounded. He also knew what it all stemmed from, where it had started, and that was his fault.

"I don't know what to say, Anci." He muttered, wrapping his arm around her gently. "I don't…" He sighed heavily. "When Julia left, it ripped me wide open… it was like a gapin' hole." Steve had filled it copiously with beer. "It took a long time, honey, before it didn't hurt so bad. But… that's also a different situation…" Nevertheless, it was the closest thing he was able to sort of relate it too. Julia hadn't tried to embalm him alive.

"But the grave, the grave he dug…it was full of pillows. Why would he put pillows in that hole? And then take me to a funeral home, broadcasting it on television for the world to see…and whisper in my ear 'deep breaths, darlin', it's almost over'? How can I love someone like that?" Anciana stood up from the bed, tearing a hand through her hair and began pacing, knowing she was losing her mind. "HOW? How can I love him, how can I…how can I WANT him after everything he's done to me?! He ran me over with a car, broke into my hotel room, drugged me and knocked me out, put me in a grave and then tried embalming me alive…And I still…I still love him! How? Why? What the fuck is wrong with me, Stevie?! I'm not right in the head, I'm out of my mind and I think – no I KNOW I'm going crazy…because of him!"

Steve knew if he had been in those positions, there would be no pillows, no murmured assurances and that is exactly what it sounded like Taker had been doing: assuring her. "Yer absolutely sure Vince didn't know jack shit about this?" He demanded, wondering what the hell was going on.

If this was all big mind game on Taker's part, he was doing one hell of a job messing Anciana up. Steve hoped the dead bastard was proud of himself. He knew Vince would let some things slide, but at the same time, embalming someone alive on national television was far-fetched, even by his standards.

"Vince swore to me he didn't, that Taker acted on his own. Stevie, he blasted you with a shovel right in the face and gave you a concussion. Vince was livid…" Anciana recalled the discussion she'd had with the boss and how red his face had gotten. Taker had disappeared out of the arena before any repercussions could be handed out for his actions. "I don't know what he was trying to do…maybe scare you? He did say he was trading your life for me…" She had watched the footage several times and sank back down on the bed, the tears subsiding for now. "I tried asking Kane how he knew where we were, but he wouldn't answer me. Are you sure we can trust him?" Taker WAS Kane's brother; would he really go along with Steve's plan to get rid of Taker?

"DTA, honey." Steve reminded her flatly. It wasn't just an on-screen slogan, he meant that and lived by it. "About the only people I trust are in this house." He knew what a scumbag his boss could be and what he would do for ratings, but this seemed so extreme. "As for Kane… you can trust him for minutes at a time, let's put it that way. Not so long ago, he and Taker were up each other's asses, if you remember."

* * *

Monday rolled around in the blink of an eye with a tense Anciana and an angry Steve. He made sure they had adjoining rooms, not taking any chances since Anciana refused to share one with him. It was understandable since she was a woman and needed her space and time alone, but at the same time, Steve thought she was a nitwit. Sighing, they checked into their rooms, settled in and then got ready for the show later that night.

The plan was simple. Find Kane, destroy Kane, send Kane to the mental institution to get him out of their hair. Paul thought it wasn't a bad plan, honestly, though he was nervous Taker wouldn't be able to take down his brother. Kane was a tad bigger and stronger than him, after all, but Taker had wit and intellect. He was a lot smarter than Kane, outsmarting him almost at every turn. First, they had Steve Austin to deal with because the man was hell-bent on revenge against Taker, not that Paul blamed him. Not after what they did to Anciana.

Steve ordered Anciana to stay put while he dealt with the Deadman, having been waiting for him. Taker suckered him in and tossed Steve in a freezer! "Stevie, no!" She rushed to the door and froze at the sight of Kane, who pressed a finger to her lips and gestured her to follow him silently.

"Taker is going to the ring to call me out."

Anciana understood what he was saying – that meant she would have time to get her brother out of the freezer as Kane lead her to it. Then, he went to the ring to fight his brother and lure his brother on the opposite side of the arena to give the Austin's time to set up their plan. "Thank you…again." She murmured, watching Kane nod once and lifted the latch to the freezer, opening the door.

"Taker, you sumbitch!"

"Whoa! It's me, Stevie!"

Steve came barreling out of the freezer, shivering from head to toe and growled, rubbing his arms. "That sumbitch! I'll kill him!"

"Kane is distracting him now. Taker is in the ring, so we need to set up for your plan. You can get your revenge at Rock Bottom in the Buried Alive match." Vince had made that match in order for Steve to qualify for the Royal Rumble. "Now come on, we don't have time to dawdle around!"

"Give me a goddamn minute, woman! Fuckin' Christ, he tried freezin' me to death!"

"I-I know…but if we don't move now, you'll miss your opportunity and the plan will go up in smoke."

"Fine – fine, fuck I need a shot of whiskey or somethin'. Come on."

Steve guided her away from the freezer, shaking his head since he had a tank top on and could hear Taker's music thunder throughout the arena. He was in the ring, just as Anciana said. Making a quick stop, just in the center of the hallway, Steve began brushing the frost out of his goatee, shuddering before doing a few quick jumping jacks. Anything to get his blood going again. He spared a glance at his twin before nodding.

He was indeed calling out little brother. Little helpful, pain in the ass brother, who decided it was alright to interfere on Anciana's behalf. Again. Golden pussy. He was starting to wonder about that bellboy incident, gnashing his teeth. Undertaker had a plan, he wasn't just calling out Kane to brawl.

"Steve, look!" She exclaimed, pointing at the monitor and could see white coats flanking the ring.

Kane immediately escaped through the crowd with the white coats following him, making Anciana cover her mouth with her hand. Was Taker actually trying to send his brother to a mental institution?! Kane had suspected it happening because of Paul and he'd been right on the money.

"Good, let's go. Are you ready for this?"

Anciana could only hope she was as they caught up with Kane a few minutes later.

"Hide. I'll distract him. When Paul leaves, don't hesitate and strike him." Kane handed over the shovel to Anciana, his mismatched eyes warning her not to screw this up.

Steve and Anciana did as they were told, hiding in the shadows and waited for their cue.

Kane was such a squirrelly little bastard. Taker wasn't amused. It had cost quite a penny to get these workers here and all the paperwork… that had been Paul since Kane was the fat bastard's son. Paul was also a son of a bitch, selling out his own son that way, he clicked his tongue, a bit amused by it. Nobody was above being scandalous, he knew that for a fact. Money talked. Fear talked. Anciana was running on borrowed time now, Taker had decided that the moment Kane had interfered on her behalf. Kane's actions had ensured he was on borrowed time as well.

Anciana covered her mouth with her hand to keep Taker from hearing her breathing, having a feeling he could while the brothers brawled. He had walked into the room to find Kane and the tables and chairs were tossed aside in all different directions. Taker, this time, had gotten him down with a shot to the head with a steel chair. He immediately ordered Paul to go get the orderlies, the white coats, while he set up Kane in the body bag they had brought with them. What kind of man did this to his own brother? Paul shuffled off out the door, leaving Taker and Kane alone, or so he thought.

"Get up, you bastard!"

The moment Taker turned around, Anciana whacked him as hard as she could with the shovel, striking him in the face the same way he did to her brother. Taker went down, hitting the floor like a sack of potatoes and the velocity of the swing actually BROKE the damn thing. Anciana felt vindicated after what Taker did to her and put her through last week, standing beside her brother while he checked to make sure Taker was out cold. At that moment, Kane sat upright, and they locked eyes, both having the same idea in mind.

When Paul returned with the orderlies, he was happy to see Kane was in the body bag all ready to go. He checked the face only, seeing the mask and nodded, ordering them to take him away. "Now, where's my Deadman?"

What he DIDN'T know was, that body in the bag, WAS his Undertaker and he was being driven to the nuthouse currently, while Kane remained in the arena alongside the Austin twins.

It was time to get some payback on the fat man.

That was the most hilarious thing Steve had seen in quite some time and he was having a hard time keeping himself from laughing out loud. It was also the least of what Taker deserved. He had to wonder though, how long it would be before the Deadman returned, providing Anciana hadn't scrambled his eggs permanently. That had been a damn fine, damn hard swing.

"All right… next." Paul Bearer was also on the list.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

The end of the night and show found Paul Bearer being shoved down an actual sewer. Steve and Kane had their fun with him in the ring while Anciana merely watched, not wanting to go near the fat man. She would never forget what they did to her and, now that Taker was gone, for now, maybe she could rest easy for a night. Anciana sincerely hoped that fat bastard drowned in the sewer, not caring what iota about him. He didn't care about her, not after what they pulled by drugging her, acting like they were going to bury her alive and then embalm her alive.

Anciana felt a small measure of justice had been performed tonight and even hugged Kane, kissing his masked cheek as a way of thanking him for all his help. Steve actually shook his hand and they parted ways to head back to the hotel. Stepping inside her room, Anciana tossed her bag to the side and went to the mini bar, needing a drink after the night they had. It didn't help Vince was on the urge of having a stroke since NONE of this, regarding Steve and Taker, besides the match set, was scripted. They were doing things on their own and he wasn't alright with it, especially since one of his top stars had been sent to the crazy house.

It still made for damn good ratings, however, so Vince did have that small measure. Paul was not amused, at all, and all sympathy for Anciana was long gone when he was finally able to get himself out of the sewer. It had involved half waddling, half floating down to an outlet access that led into a ditch and he stank to high heaven. All he could do was hope Taker was having a better time of it then he was. Of course, Taker was probably still out cold from that shovel shot, so… there was that.

"Disgusting…" He hissed, eyeballing the steep hills he had to climb up next. "Oh dear Lord…"

Even with Taker gone temporarily, the nightmares plagued her and, therefore, sleep evaded her. She looked at the joining door, knowing her brother was sleeping and didn't want to disturb his rest. Even though he was cleared to wrestle again, he still needed all the rest he could get, especially with this Buried Alive match coming up at Rock Bottom. They both knew Taker would be back for vengeance and it wouldn't be pretty, especially after what they did to the fat man. Scrubbing a hand down her face, Anciana slid from the bed and walked over to stare out the sliding glass window, resting her forehead against the glass.

"Mark…" She whispered, wondering if she would ever get over him and if she'd ever be able to move on with her life without him in it. "I'm so screwed…"

Anciana Williams was BEYOND screwed. There were no words for how pissed off Taker was when he woke up in the nuthouse. The very place he had meant to send his interfering brother. Of course, he wasn't Kane, so they hadn't 'booked' him, but they had taken him to the medical wing because… concussion. He could have died in that stupid body bag and the irony wasn't lost on him at all. Steve, Anciana, and little Glennie were all living on borrowed time. The fact that Paul wasn't there to help him out, or anything really, told him they had gotten their hands on his accomplice.

"SON OF A BITCH!" He roared into the night.

"Temper – temper."

Anciana leaned against the rental vehicle her and Steve shared, but it was just her outside of the mental ward. His acidic eyes snapped to her and she waved three fingers at him, wearing blue jeans and a red sweatshirt, a black coat on over it. She was in the parking lot; her breath being shown by how cold it was and tilted her head at the goose egg on his head along with the bruise across his face.

"Ouch. I should've held back a little with that shot, huh?" No, she should've hit him harder after everything he put her through. "Get in, you need a ride back to the hotel and your slave is…indisposed at the moment. And before you ask, it's just me. Stevie would kill me if he found out I was helping you in any way."

The very last person he wanted to see was the bitch who had put him here in the first place. His head felt like raw, pounded meat, thanks to his oh-so-loving wife and his eyes narrowed. "I'll fuckin' walk, Ciana."

He regretted the pillows and being kind during those little segments of his. Taker had no trust for her, at all. She had been drunk off her ass, prepared to go hopping on random dick and he had stopped her and put her to bed. He had maybe gone overboard with the whole buried alive, embalming thing, but this… tonight, he was going to strangle her. Her red and black attire did not go unnoticed.

"Kane waiting to jump my ass?"

"No, it's just me, like I said." Anciana didn't move from her car, seeing he was still in his wrestling attire and it was less than seasonably cold temperatures outside. "So, let me get this straight: When you play a game with someone, like drugging them, making them THINK you're going to bury them alive or embalm them alive, make them sick to their stomach and scare them shitless, it's perfectly fine, but when someone BEATS you at your own game, you get all pissed off and angry. Is it because your ego got deflated tonight and you couldn't send your poor brother to the nuthouse?" That made him tense and stop walking. "You deserved that shot to the head and I should've hit you harder, you bastard."

"Probably. Don't you have a bottle of tequila waiting somewhere?"

She was just like her twin, right down to their vices and personalities. Taker wasn't bothered by the cold rage was warming him. Anciana ran her mouth, good on her. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the chip on her shoulder. Taker was in the mood for more painkillers and regrouping. And… he'd probably have to go find his fat buddy, no doubt poor Paul was regretting his choice in profession and associates.

"You'll never beat me at my own game, sweetheart, because you don't know the first thing about breaking the mind. You're an Austin… swing your fuckin' shovels."

Steve Austin wouldn't know how to play checkers let alone a mind game. Shovel. To. The. Head. As if on cue, he dropped to one knee as lightening zipped through his skull, gritting his teeth. Of course, if tonight was any indication, Anciana was going to wind up smacking his head clean off his shoulders.

"Mark!" Anciana rushed to his side, going on pure instinct and it didn't take long to notice he wasn't in the best shape. There was no way he could walk, not without collapsing. "Please…let me help you. You need help and there's nobody else who can do it, who WILL do it, right now." He tried shoving her away, but wound up grabbing the front of her sweater and pulled her against him, her stomach colliding with his muscular shoulder. "You need my help…you helped me that night when I was drunk out of my mind and ready to do something I'd really regret in the morning. You stopped me, tossed me in a shower and then put me to bed. You're the reason for why I'm broken, my mind, my heart, my spirit…every part of me is broken because of you…and you still helped me that night. I hurt you physically and you're in no condition to walk, so let me help you now. Just come with me, let me take you back to the hotel and get you to your room at the very least and then I'll leave you alone. But I'm NOT abandoning you."

"YOU DID THIS TO ME, ANCIANA!" He roared and instantly regretted that decision because it only intensified what was going on in his head. "Broken?" He snorted at that. "No, no, darlin'," Taker shook his head against her, slowly pushing himself upright onto somewhat steady feet. "I learned a bit about your life before I ran you over, Ciana, and THAT was broken. All you did was work, and train, work, and train. That wasn't a fucking life at all, I GAVE you one. You were so damn busy trying to prove your family wrong, and prove to yourself you could do it, you weren't even bothering to live. You are reunited with them because of me, you found your brother because of me, and the reason you drink and can't sleep at night is that you NEED me." As much as he needed her when she wasn't swinging shovels.

Shoving away from him, Anciana could feel her own anger cresting inside and clenched her fists at her sides, not believing how stupid she was coming here to help him. "You don't regret anything you've done to me, do you? Not one single fucking thing!" A roundhouse kick later in the chest sent him skidding across the gravel on his backside, while he continued holding his head. "YOU STUPID SON OF BITCH, DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU I WAS HAPPY THE WAY I WAS BEFORE YOU CAME INTO MY LIFE?! YOU DESTROYED ME! YOU RAN ME OVER WITH A CAR, LIKE SOME GODDAMN LUNATIC AND GAVE ME AMNESIA! AND YOU GOT AWAY WITH IT! AND IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, YOU…YOU DRUGGED ME, YOU MADE ME BELIEVE YOU WERE GOING TO BURY ME ALIVE AND THEN YOU TOOK ME TO A FUNERAL HOME AND TRIED TO EMBALM ME ALIVE, ONCE AGAIN PROVING TO ME WHAT A SICK, DEMENTED MONSTER YOU ARE! AND YOU THINK I NEED YOU?! YOU HONESTLY THINK I NEED SOMEONE LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE?! FUCK YOU!" Picking up gravel, she began throwing it at him, tears of heartache, pain, and anger streaming down her cheeks. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME!" Gripping her hair, Anciana had to put space between them or else she really would cause permanent damage to him. "I don't need you – the only thing I NEED from you is to be RID of you! To forget you ever existed! To forget I loved you and still do, and all the promises you made and BROKE! I drink for one reason, Mark, and that's to forget about you! It's the only way I know to numb the pain you put me in! Hitting you with that shovel tonight felt fucking fantastic and I wish I would've blasted you to the point where YOU have amnesia, where YOU lose your true self, where YOU'RE tormented and USED like a cheap toy and then discarded like garbage! I wish to GOD you could feel what I feel right now because, if you did, you'd pray for death like I do every single fucking night!" Breathing heavily, Anciana had to take several LONG deep breaths to calm down, shaking from head to toe from her outburst. "I was happy before you came into my life. I was happy with the way things were. I was HAPPY being alone and going after my dream, being away from my family and my meddlesome brother! I was HAPPY and now…now I'm more miserable than I've ever been in my life and it's because of YOU. Don't think for a second you did me any goddamn favors, Mark, because you didn't. All you did was destroy me, every piece of me, you gave me NOTHING but heartache, pain, and anger to deal with. What you did to me, everything you've done, overrides every good moment we had together, which were all lies anyway, so they don't count in my book. Nothing we ever shared matters. I hope you rot in hell, you no good, piece of shit." Then, she took off for her car as fast as she could, not looking back.

Anciana's problem was that she LOVED her misery. She was in love with it. She was broken. She whined about how he had ruined her life. How he had scared her. Manipulated her. Broken her. And yet, she still came back to him, like… tonight, for instance. Anciana had given him this concussion and then come back to help him out. The woman was beyond damaged and, given what he knew of her history with her family, and how she had reacted when it came time to reunite with them, Taker was guessing the damage was not all from him. Cursing under his breath, he pushed himself upright again and began trekking back to wherever the hell he had come from. He made a mental note to send her 'thank you' flowers in the morning, smirking.

* * *

After that night, Anciana left the WWF and told Vince to shove the contract up his ass. If he didn't like it, he could sue her, but she was finished with the WWF. Wrestling for that company was ruined for her and she would never go back. Anca was well-known throughout the wrestling world, however, and she'd gotten several calls from the Independent circuit. Steve called her once in a while and she did the same to him, but other than that, she traveled the world, wrestling almost every night and slowly began enjoying her life again.

Six months flew by in the blink of an eye, which put her in May 1999. Her Mom called to check in on her, but most of the time, Anciana missed the calls due to being so busy. Then, a fateful night in June, turned her world upside down again. Her mother had died. Anciana had received the message from her roommate and she was currently overseas in Germany for a show. Instead of wrestling, she flew home as fast as she could, crying the entire time at the fact her mother was dead. Heart attack – and their father wasn't doing well at all with the loss.

Pulling up to the house, Anciana shut the ignition off and stepped out of the car, her hair chopped to her shoulders since it was easier to deal with in the ring, and still the sun-kissed color. She knocked on the door, hearing 'come in' and stepped inside, all eyes turning to her. Steve was the first one to greet her with a hug and she clung to him, fresh tears falling. "I didn't…even know she was sick…" She whispered brokenly, slowly pulling back to look up in her brother's eyes.

"None of us did, Anci. Glad you could make it home for the funeral, honey."

Nodding, she greeted her other brothers and finally her father, who had a tumbler of whiskey in hand. "Daddy…"

All he did was stand up, hugging his daughter and then went into the kitchen for a refill, not saying a word.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

He had liked Beverly.

Mostly because that old broad hadn't missed a trick. She had known something was wrong with their marriage, but… she had also seen… the affection, that was a good word for it. Mark had sent flowers, calla lilies mostly, for the funeral. He knew better than to let himself be seen, not with all those grieving Williams. Grieving, mad people tended to do crazy things and, given his current appearance, well… no, best to remain out of sight. His darling wife hadn't been stateside in a while and he had to wonder where the hell his divorce papers were unless she was still living with her head in the clouds.

Vince had never pursued her for that contract because he had, as promised, paid the early termination fees. When Vince, out of sheer spite tried blackballing her from other promotions, he had stepped in there as well. Given that Anciana hadn't done anything in the WWF, besides accompany her brother around and swing shovels, Mark was curious to see what would happen if a little money was tossed around to get someone to give her a chance as something besides another piece of eye candy. Anciana hadn't disappointed.

Divorce papers weren't necessary because their marriage didn't exist. It was a sham…a lie…and Anciana hadn't thought about Mark in months. Ever since she left him laying in the gravel from a roundhouse kick to the chest, right over his heart, she washed her hands of him. Steve and everyone else knew better than to mention or utter his name around her too. Anciana was finally content with her life, though it broke her heart her Momma was gone. Wearing all black, Anciana wiped her tears away from her face and stepped up when the pastor called her name.

Beverly had specifically asked her daughter to give her eulogy if something happened to her. Apparently, Momma knew she was sick for a while with congestive heart failure, but she didn't seek treatment for it. Nobody knew she was sick, that's how strong she was. Standing at the podium, Anciana shakily pulled out a paper from her breast and unfolded it, since there were no pockets on the knee-length, short-sleeved dress she had on. Then she tossed it, balled it up and dropped it in the wastebasket.

"My Momma was one of a kind. Kind, beyond kind, even to those who didn't deserve it. She loved with her whole heart, even when she was angry with us and wanted to paddle our hides. She never let us down and always listened to any problems we had in our lives. My only regret is leaving at 16 because I didn't talk to her for 18 years straight…and I can never get that time back. I thought…we could make new memories, but…it wasn't meant to be." Taking a deep breath, trying not to break down, she looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes. "I hope she knows how much she was loved, how much she meant to each of us and she's irreplaceable in all of our hearts. Rest in peace, Momma…heaven has gained another angel to watch over the family and I'll see you again someday." Stepping off the podium, Anciana covered her mouth with her hand and rushed out of the funeral home, needing some much-needed fresh air. That was the end of the funeral anyway, now it was just a long visitation and tomorrow was the burial.

Hell, she hadn't even gotten to say goodbye to her mother, after only being reunited with her for a short time. That was just… cruel. Stage 4 congestive heart failure wasn't something many people managed to endure very well. Beverly had made it look… easy, like she wasn't even sick at all. Pure Williams stubbornness right there. Mark knew where Anciana got it from. He knew his presence was more likely to harm than help and remained out of sight, feeling that odd bitterness in his chest as he watched her cry.

"Anciana?"

Turning her head, her eyes widened at the man staring back at her and raised a slow brow. "Devin." What was he doing here?

Devin Mitchell was a close friend of Steve's and had been for years. He dated Anciana back in high school for a year before she disappeared out of his life. When she returned to Victoria, he knew about it, but hadn't approached her until now.

"I'm sorry to hear about your Momma." There really wasn't much else he could say.

"She appreciates that, I know she does." Anciana hadn't been the best girlfriend throughout that year, especially since she talked nothing except becoming a professional wrestler. "Thank you for coming."

"Well, I couldn't stay away…you guys are like my family." He walked up to her, placing a hand on her arm and locked grey on crystalline blues. "Maybe not family, but you know what I mean."

"I should go back inside…" Anciana murmured, starting to walk past him when he stopped her, and their eyes locked once again. Then, he kissed her…it was the first kiss she experienced since…No! She wouldn't think about him…and felt the kiss break, her cheeks somewhat flushed.

"Have a drink with me tonight."

"The burial is tomorrow and…"

"Just ONE drink. We can talk about old times and get your mind off what's happened."

"Fine, just one drink."

They exchanged numbers and promised to meet up later that night, once the visitation ended.

Well… letting her go out with a local boy and seeing just how far she'd go with this…idiot would be a pretty good indication of whether or not Anciana was finally over him or not. Providing he didn't put this… Devin, into Beverly's casket and for real bury someone alive. Sighing, Mark slipped away, wondering where exactly they'd be going out. Victoria wasn't all that big, he was going scouting.

What turned out to be a great time ended in a nightmare. Devin had been buzzed when he showed up, half an hour late, and they did what they said they were going to do. Talk about the old time, the good old days. However, when he began getting handsy, Anciana told him she wasn't interested in anything more than friendship with him. Devin had gotten pissed, backhanded her and called her a slut before getting on top of her to try assaulting her sexually. Anciana was a lot stronger than he realized and overpowered him with her legs, squeezing the breath out of him by locking them around his waist. Then, she grabbed him by the junk and threatened to rip his balls off he didn't leave immediately. With a headbutt and swift kick in his ass, she sent him flying down the steps of a park they were at, watching impassively as he landed with a thud.

"Fucking asshole!" She growled, dusting herself off, still in the black dress, and heard footsteps behind her, mentally counting to three before striking. Her balled up fist was enclosed in the hand of the last person she thought she'd ever see in Victoria, Texas, of all places. What the HELL was Mark doing here?! "Well hello, Satan."

He inclined his head, acknowledging the 'compliment', though his eyes were on the man she had just sent flying. Mark had watched everything happen and, when he had seen Anciana in action, that was a thing of beauty. "Mrs. Calaway." He let go of her hand, moving his own upwards, so she knew he meant no harm. "I was sorry to hear about Beverly." Sorry enough to send plenty of flowers, not that that meant dick he supposed.

Why did he insist on calling her that? She wasn't his wife, not really. They never had a ceremony of any kind, he had lied to her about all of it, so why was Mark adamant about referring to her as his damn wife? Then, she started thinking back to the visitation and all the calla lilies that adorned the place mixed with pink roses.

"So YOU'RE the flower guy?" Her mother loved calla lilies, ever since she was a little girl, so to have the place filled with them had meant a lot to the family and especially Anciana. "I didn't know who or where they came from. You didn't put your name on any of the deliveries that came." There were quite a few too. Steve had bitched about how they were going to fit all the flowers in the car to take to the funeral home. "That was…very nice of you, Mark." If he could be cordial, so could she, especially after nearly being sexually assaulted by a jerk high school squeeze. "Thank you. I'm curious though, how did you know calla lilies were my Momma's favorite flower?"

"I didn't, darlin'." He said quietly, not about to ruin whatever moment they were having, though he definitely noticed she had used his actual name. That wasn't something he had heard from her in a very long time. "Calla lilies are sent at life-changing events… weddings, funerals… they're graceful and timeless, and they just seemed to suit Beverly. At weddings, they represent faithfulness and love. For Funerals… sympathies and… hope for a blessed afterlife, reincarnation, whatever you believe happens after death."

"I guess that makes sense. Well, whatever the reason, you made her visitation very beautiful with all the flowers you sent."

A lot had changed for her in the past 6 months; getting away from the WWF and from the man standing in front of her had done wonders. Anciana was able to properly heal and move on from him while doing what she loved most. Her drinking had increased, but that was part of the wrestling business – drinking and partying after having kickass shows. It was a way for the wrestlers to calm down and cool off after a night of hard work. He reached out to touch her bruised cheek and Anciana didn't step back like she would've 6 months ago.

"That bastard nailed me good, but he'll learn how to treat and speak to a woman after what I did to him." A smugness entered her tone, her eyes glittering maliciously for a second.

Considering she had twisted that asshole's balls to the point of testicular torsion… probably not. "Old flame, darlin'?"

At her nod, he bit back a snort. Anciana had horrible taste in men and he was including himself in that. Mark almost asked her how her Dad was, but that was a really dumb question and he knew it. How did he ask about someone when the love of their life had just died? Where were the cards for that sort of thing? Thinking of You. With Deepest Sympathies. They seemed so trite, honestly.

"You staying with your Daddy?" She sure as hell wasn't staying with Devlin, Devon, whatever broken balls name was.

"I was going to, but…I have a feeling he wants to be alone tonight in the house. I don't want to leave him alone and I'm not trying to be heartless, but I just feel getting a hotel room is the right thing to do."

There was no way she was telling Devin which hotel she was staying in either, even though there was only a handful in the town. That was why she agreed to meet him at the park they used to frequent as high schoolers. Anciana wasn't born yesterday and that kiss at the funeral home earlier told her what he truly wanted. She hadn't had sex with anyone since Mark, not that he'd believe her anyway.

He considered that, frowning. Leaving Ken alone seemed both fitting and wrong… he had seen what had happened to his own mother; he was pretty sure, if he had been a man and not a boy, he would've kept her company those first few nights, whether she wanted him to or not. But then again, his mother had always been a little on the crazy side. Couldn't fix crazy.

"Think he'd go eat something at least?" He asked after a long moment, not about to offer his own company because he had a feeling that would go over as well as a flamboyant whore in a Catholic church. He had seen Ken, from a distance, the whiskey was still strong with that one.

"Probably not, and no need to do that because the neighbors around our area have been bringing dishes left and right. I swear, there's enough food for a Thanksgiving meal."

Anciana had asked her father if he wanted her around and he'd snapped on her, yelling at her to go away. Mark didn't need to know those details though. It had broken her heart, but at the same time, she understood why her father was so distraught and just wanted to drown himself in sorrow.

"Momma was his best friend. They married out of high school and then she had kids one right after the other. They wanted a girl for their third child, but she wound up with twins – me and Stevie. He lost his best friend…and I don't know how to help him through that." Her voice had lowered to an almost whisper, looking away from Mark to blink tears away. "Are you hungry? You came all this way and…I wouldn't mind sharing a meal with you…if you want to. We can go to my room and order a pizza or something?"

Going to her hotel room, for pizza… Mark wasn't entirely sure if that was a good idea considering the last time they had seen each other. She had roundhouse kicked his already concussed ass and he had raged at her. Not a very good night.

"There a hole in the wall somewhere around here, darlin'?" He asked gently, figuring somewhere public where they wouldn't be likely to fight with each other and a hole in the wall because his appearance tended to be startling. Whereas she looked like a breath of sunlight, he was… the darkness. Her polar opposite.

"No…Mark, I'll be honest, I don't want to go to a restaurant of any kind. I was gonna have one drink with that asshole and then go back to my room and…mourn, cry, drink and order pizza. It's been a long day and…I don't want to cry in front of strangers. So, if you don't want to come with me, that's all you gotta say." There wasn't a hint of malice in her voice, just exhaustion and sadness, trying to come to terms her mother was actually gone. Anciana would never hear her voice again…and she'd been so consumed with her career, she couldn't make it home in time to say goodbye to her or see her one last time. "Thanks for…the flowers and showing up. You didn't have to, but I appreciate it. Um…take care, I guess." She walked away, wrapping her arms around herself and went to her car, trying like hell to hold her tears back. Hotel…get to the hotel and then you can break down completely, she thought, feeling a warm breeze flow over her.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

Mark turned in time to find a fist coming and didn't have time to duck it. "Nice seeing you too, Steve." He muttered, not entirely sure how his ass had landed on the grass, but was assuming it had something to do with the punch he'd just been greeted with.

"Don't you mess her around, Calaway. Not tonight."

Tonight of all nights would be grounds for murdering someone. Their mother had died, and he didn't even have it in him to really stomp the hell out of this asshole. He just dropped down as well, drawing his knees up.

"You sent those damn flowers."

It was hard not to notice Mark's 6'10 backside plant in the grass with her twin standing over him before dropping down. Anciana had rushed back over, staring at both men with a cocked brow and folded her arms in front of her chest. "You followed me, didn't you? You BOTH followed me tonight…" Since when were they buddies?

"Well, I uh…"

Mark made a noise low in his throat, his eyes refusing to meet hers and Anciana shook her head, her sadness and grief temporarily forgotten. "Do you guys not realize that I can take care of myself? I handed Devin his ass and his balls! You two are unbelievable! You claim to hate each other, but…you two are A LOT alike, more than you'll ever care to admit. Two stubborn rednecks, one looks like an Amish guy and the other is a baldheaded hothead!"

"Now hold on a minute…"

"NO! You thought I couldn't handle myself, which is why you BOTH followed me at the same damn time! Mark's been lurking around here in the shadows, sending flowers and bullshit and my twin brother is too damn overprotective for his own good!" Anciana kicked each of them in the leg, gritting her teeth. "I can handle MYSELF and I don't NEED to be rescued, got me?"

"I…"

"GOT ME?"

"Y-yeah…yeah fine…" Steve grumbled, not believing he was just scolded by his twin in front of this jackass and kept his head lowered.

"Good, glad we're on the same fucking page again. Now, why you two kiss and makeup, I'm going to drink myself silly, eat some greasy pizza, cry and then sleep. See you for the funeral tomorrow and, Mark, if you're going to send flowers, you might as well come to the damn ceremony." That was her way of inviting him, he could take it or leave it. Snorting at them both, she turned on her heel and stalked away, pissed beyond belief not one, but TWO men had been following her tonight.

"She's got a temper on her…" Steve grunted, nudging Taker when he began laughing and narrowed his icy blues at the man. "Why'd you send those damn flowers? Not that I'm not appreciative, cause I am, but I wanna know why."

"I liked Beverly."

Why was that so hard to believe? Not only had he been co-cocked but kicked! This was the LAST time he did a damn thing related to this family that wasn't putting one of their heads through a very large blender. What the hell had he been thinking?

"Why were you following her?"

"Because I was worried about her. You?"

"Because she's my wife."

Steve's blue eyes narrowed. He was beginning to wonder if that marriage bit maybe wasn't a joke. If it was, Taker was playing the longest game in history. Steve scrubbed a hand down his face, not in the mood to deal with the mind games from Taker. He dealt with them enough in the WWF and right now, he wasn't Stone Cold Steve Austin. He was Steve Williams, who just lost his mother and was trying like hell to keep it together.

"Mom liked you too, you know. She knew somethin' wasn't right with you and Anci, but…she did like ya. They both did, both of our parents. It…wasn't good when they found out what ya did to their only daughter." He highly doubted the man would take Anciana up on her offer to go to the burial tomorrow. "This marriage bit…you know she left and it's been 6 months…and you're STILL callin' her that. I wanna know right now, once and for all, Mark…are you really married to her? And if so, does she realize this?"

Because she had changed her last name to Williams right after regaining her memories. The problem with being who Mark was, and doing the things he had done, was likely to do, people tended not to believe him when he was being legitimately truthful. One of the few downsides of being him, he supposed.

"Courts say we're married." He informed Steve, pretty certain he heard the last vestiges of hope in Steve's chest shatter. "You really think, back then, she was going to listen to me?" Nope, Anciana had insisted it was a sham marriage and, on some level, she was right, but… the courts would see the documentation and call it legit. Expensive forgeries were expensive for a reason. "And tonight don't seem to be the best night to remind her, now does it?" Laying that on a person, after they had done a funeral visitation for their own mother, was just a shade of cruel he hadn't reached yet. Or maybe he was just tired.

"No…it's not. Before you leave here, you need to tell her. She needs to know because, if she ever wants to get married again in the future, yer holdin' her back. Yer preventin' her from bein' happy, Mark. It's not fair to her, especially since ya don't love her…" Steve stood up from the ground, scrubbing a hand down his face and planned on getting plastered with a load of beer tonight. He'd cut back on his drinking and was actually getting into better shape for the ring, but tonight called for drinking. "Either tell her, end the damn thing yerself or…fight for her. Those are yer choices…and I really hope ya end this because havin' ya in the family will make me wanna gouge my eyes out. Oh, thanks for the flowers too." He walked away, leaving Taker alone in the park to reflect and think about everything that had gone down since he ran down Anciana Williams.

Fight with her more like, Mark thought dryly, waiting until Austin was out of sight before pushing himself off the ground with a sigh and brushed the grass off the back of his black jeans. He had no intentions of going to that burial, his presence only detracted from what was important, which was Beverly and her family. He had just a hint more class than that. Steve gouging his eyes out sounded like a good plan. Eventually, he'd tell Anciana again, but not tonight. It sounded like she was planning on getting toasted and things between them never ended well when she was toasted. He grimaced, remembering the tequila night and groaned, running his hands through his hair.

* * *

The burial was at 10 AM sharp…and it was raining. June in Texas with rain…that was a really bad omen considering it NEVER rained this time of year. Usually, Texas was in a bit of a drought and hotter than Hades. This had to be her Momma's doing. Sniffling, Anciana wore the same black dress she did yesterday during the visitation, not having another black dress to wear. She didn't make nearly as much money in the Indies as she did in the WWF, so Anciana had to watch what she spent. After a night of eating pizza, drinking and crying, she was about as ready as she would get to watch her mother being buried.

Walking up the gravel road toward the burial, Anciana didn't bother with an umbrella and didn't care if she was soaked, walking over to stand beside her equally soaked twin. Her tears mixed with the raindrops falling from the sky and Anciana could only hope Mark was somewhere nearby, staying out of sight because at least he was paying his respects, somehow. Feeling Steve grab her hand, Anciana laced her fingers with his and everyone was handed a calla lily to toss in the hole after her casket was lowered.

Well, at least not all of those lilies would wind up meeting an early demise in the dumpster. He had no idea what had possessed him to send so many, but he had. Raining in Texas and not many people seemed to have umbrellas, it just wasn't something expected. Though he did see a lot of wide-brimmed hats, no doubt meant to keep the sunshine off of heads. Mark stood way off, up on a hill, leaning next to an old weathered tree, figuring this was as good as any way to pay his last respects to his mother-in-law. His shaded eyes roamed over the people, finally coming to a rest on his wife.

Stepping up to drop the calla lily in the hole, on top of the casket, Anciana first kissed it to hopefully send one last kiss to her mother in the afterlife before dropping it. She covered her mouth with her hand, crying and sobbing, turning to bury her face in Steve's chest. He was crying as well, not bothering to hide his tears or fight them back. This was their Momma…and she was gone. Anciana never got to say goodbye, never got to hug her one last time and tell her she loved her. Steve held her tightly against him, comforting her the best way he knew how and Anciana turned her head while snuggled against his chest, the rain falling harder.

Why? Why did this happen to their family? Why wasn't there enough time and why did she waste 18 years between them? One by one, people left the gravesite, after paying their respects to Beverly, but Anciana didn't leave and simply sat there. Steve tried getting her to leave, but she couldn't and watched the cemetery workers fill the hole with dirt. That made her cry harder, fighting the urge to dig through the dirt in order to uncover her mother.

Everyone except her and the gravediggers had left. Even Steve had gone. He got that. Burying a parent, dealing with one's own personal grief on top of trying to comfort someone else, they usually didn't mix well. It was every man for them self when those moments of utter despair came. When Anciana began edging towards that grave, Mark was mobile, moving down the slight hill with ease. He had worn a plain black duster, something to keep the rain off of him and now he was removing it, at the site with her. He wrapped her in the coat, pulling her away and could hear Anciana crying for her mother, over and over.

Clinging to him like a lifeline, Anciana let him guide her away from her mother's grave, her legs incredibly shaky. She hadn't eaten anything that morning, afraid of throwing up because who the hell would have an appetite seeing their parent buried? Certainly not her. Mark swept her up into his arms, with her wrapped in his leather duster and Anciana buried her face in his neck, her arm wrapped around it. He actually came to the burial, only staying out of sight, but he was here and Anciana felt something explode inside her chest and also ache. Any amount of comfort he gave her was accepted with open arms and Anciana realized, in that particular moment, she did need Mark. Not her brothers, or her twin, or her father, or Sierra or Cameria -they hadn't spoken in over 6 months-, nobody except the man currently holding her against him.

He had always known she needed him. Mark had said as much once, and that had been the very last time they had seen each other until this tragic event. His boot covered feet navigated the muddy ground easily, carrying her to the large car he had rented and parked away from everyone else. He hadn't planned on being seen or intruding, however… Anciana needed him. After a few more moments, Mark slid her into the passenger seat, hurrying to the other side to get in as well.

"S-She's g-gone, M-Mark…" Anciana stammered out in between sobs, covering her face with her hands and felt him pull her against his side, her hand clutching the shirt he had on. "M-My M-Momma is g-gone…" Mark cranked the heat on, even though it wasn't cold outside, but they were drenched from head to toe and could still catch sick. He just kept rubbing her arm up and down, kissed her temple and assured her everything would be alright. "I-I n-never…I never got the chance to s-say g-goodbye to her. I-I'm a h-horrible p-person…"

All she ever cared about was herself and her career, never anyone else. It wasn't until that night Mark pointed that out to her Anciana realized how right he was in what he said. Leaving and not speaking to her family for 18 years straight was irresponsible, heartless…all the holidays missed, all the birthdays, all the phone calls and I love yous…she would never get any of that back. It was gone, lost, forever. It was both sad and odd, how people managed to make it through visitations, even the initial news of a passing, but seeing dirt shoveled onto a casket tended to just… cement it. That person was gone, never coming back and all those mental gates holding everything in check just came crashing down.

"She knew, darlin'." Mark soothed, reaching for the cheap gas station tissues he had bought on a whim, beginning to mop at her face. "Everything you wanted to say to her, tell her, your momma already knew, darlin'."

There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Beverly hadn't known how her daughter felt. She was a prime example of a mother's love being unconditional. Anciana finally looked up at him as he continued wiping her tears away, more falling, and felt him kiss her head again, their eyes locked.

"H-How do you know t-that?" She asked softly, not surprised when he merely responded with 'I just do'. Typical Mark response. "I hope you're right."

She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm down and could feel the hiccoughs starting. Her head rested on his shoulder, his arm not leaving her and soaked in his warmth and comfort as much as she could, not caring about the consequences or what came next. Just here and now, that was all she was focused on.

"T-Thank you for being here…"

Someday, this woman would learn, he was like 98.9% always right. This was just an easy thing to be right about. Mark had seen Beverly's response to seeing Anciana for the first time in 18 long years, and he had known then that there was pretty much nothing Beverly wouldn't have forgiven for her daughter for.

"You're welcome." He whispered, burying his nose against her damp hair, trying not to remember the last time he had been able to do this with her.

Summerslam, it had been last year's Summerslam, before that chokeslam and all her memories returning. She had kissed his mouth and promised him she would love him no matter what; he was to remember it, no matter what. Abruptly, the moment between them ended as Mark removed his arm from around her and drove off away from the cemetery. Anciana could only turn her gaze from him to stare out the window, resting her forehead against the glass.

When he went in the direction of her parents' house, she finally spoke up, her own voice odd-sounding and drained. "Just take me to my hotel room, please."

She was not in the mood to be around a bunch of people since there was a luncheon at the Williams' residence after the burial. Her flight was leaving in the morning to take her back to Germany to resume her career. It was obvious Mark wanted nothing to do with her and had just come for moral support because…hell, she didn't even know anymore.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

"Your dad needs to be surrounded by his kids, Anciana." Mark wasn't turning around and, if she wanted him to stay with her for the whole thing, he would. When she shook her head, he reached over to take her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. "You just had a crying jag over your momma, darlin'. I bet you were thinking you weren't there, you were selfish, and a million other things along the same vein." And she would be justified in thinking that, if that was the actual kind of person she was. "Go be with him for a bit, Ciana. You didn't just bury your Mom. He buried his wife." That stuck with him, made him frown.

Looking down at their laced fingers, Anciana couldn't deny what he said and wondered if he would come inside with her. She needed his strength, his reassurance, his comfort, more than anything right now. Anciana had nobody else besides her family, but they weren't enough, and they were grieving as well.

"Okay, but I need you to do something for me." When his brow raised, she squeezed their fingers a little tighter and took a deep breath, hoping he didn't deny her. "Don't let go of my hand…I need you to come inside with me and keep me steady, grounded. You're the only one who can and…I need you there." Steve's opinion of him didn't matter to her; this man had sent beautiful calla lilies for her mother, who he barely knew and stuck around the entire time. "Will you do that?"

"Yes."

One thing about him, and he was the only one who would give himself the credit, which was quite all right because he was an egotistical bastard, was when it came to her family, outside of Steve, he had always been a complete gentleman. Now, it did occur to him that this was the perfect time, the perfect place to strike, but… even the Undertaker held _some_ things sacred. As he said, he had genuinely liked Beverly. When they finally parked in the crowded driveway, he looked at her.

"Anciana, you just need to get through this one minute at a time, darlin'. Don't worry about anything but the moment you're in, and I'll be with you the entire time." If she could manage, he'd guide her through the rest.

With tear-filled eyes, Anciana brought his hand up and kissed the back of it, sniffling. "Okay. Thank you, Mark."

If Steve so much as uttered a peep to Mark, she would knock him on his backside like she did Devin. That bastard would be smart to steer clear of her family's home today because Anciana was feeling extremely volatile and emotional. She was on shaky ground, afraid it would crack beneath her if another bad thing happened to her or her family. Mark cut the ignition and stepped out before walking around to open her door for her. Their hands were clasped together, fingers laced, as they headed up to the front door. Cars were strewn all over street and driveway, Beverly Williams had been well known throughout Victoria, Texas, one of its favorite citizens and the turnout to celebrate her life was amazing. Opening the door, Anciana and Mark walked inside, stopped for a brief second to look at them, and then went on their way, several coming over to give condolences to Anciana.

Never once did her hand leave Mark's.

He had no appetite, even though it all smelled amazing. It was like every housewife in Victoria had made her best dessert dish or casserole. Mark had a feeling Ken was going to be freezing the hell out of all this food. People did it bigger in Texas, that was for sure. Anciana obviously wasn't hungry and he was genuinely afraid she'd throw up if she even tried.

"Have some water." He ordered gently, taking note of her chapped and dry lips, how pale she was. His wife hadn't been taking care of herself.

Overseas was a lot of drinking and partying – it was the way things worked in the Independent circuit and, if she didn't go along with the rest, she'd be singled out. That was what a few of the wrestlers, both guys and gals, told her and Anciana wanted to fit in with her comrades, so drinking and partying it was. Germany had clubs open until 4 AM and a lot of the times, she'd close the bars/clubs down before heading back to her hotel to sleep the day away and get up just in time to wrestle. No, she wasn't taking care of herself at all and had lost weight, even though she ate every day. Sometimes, she overdid it with workouts and pushed herself too hard to where she'd throw up afterward. It was just the nature of the business. The gang had tried getting her to do drugs, but Anciana refused, that was where she drew the line. Drinking was fine, but not drugs.

"Okay." She whispered, obeying him and slowly sipped the cup of water he handed her, still drenched from head to toe. "Come upstairs with me for a minute. I have some clothes I can change into and I think I have some of yours that you left here from last time." Guiding him upstairs, Anciana knew it wouldn't be dress clothes, but at least he'd be dry instead of soaking wet.

Quietly, and ignoring the curious looks her siblings were giving them, Mark followed her upstairs, feeling her hand squeezing his every now and then as if she was reassuring herself that he was there. He had noticed that Anciana didn't look so hot, but at first, he had attributed it to her mother's passing. Once in her bedroom and she began shedding the wet clothing as she walked to her dresser, he cocked an eyebrow. No, Anciana hadn't been taking care of herself. That made no sense. She was doing fairly well in the indies, so what had happened?

Her body was toned and lean, but at the same time, her muscle mass had disappeared as well. She didn't mind undressing in front of him because they'd already seen each other naked. Kicking the black dress aside, she slipped on a pair of black jean shorts and a black tank top, keeping with the traditional black for funerals, even if it was a luncheon. Still considered a funeral in her book.

"Here, I knew I had some of your clothes."

She handed him a pair of black jeans and a black beater since the man rarely wore any other color. Mark didn't look any worse for wear, but she could tell he was nursing some injuries, especially when he had to sit down on the bed in order to pull his jeans on. Standing in front of him, once his jeans were on, Anciana rubbed his shoulders and could feel the tension in them, frowning.

"Are you okay?"

"Getting old, Ciana."

That was not necessarily true, he was still in his prime, would be for years, Mark just had to curb some of the things he had been doing lately. He had been tossing himself, literally, into his work and with limbs as long as his, on top of his weight and profession, there was only so much wear and tear a body could take, even when in physical shape. Sighing, he pulled on the beater before heaving his damp hair loose from the now haphazard braid it had been in, shaking it out as he stared at her. Anciana was not as fit as she had been. And then he really looked into her face. She was drinking. Heavily. There was that yellow starting to creep into her eyes. That explained a lot. He had been down that road before.

"How much a night you drink these days, darlin'?"

Heaving a sigh, Anciana sat down on the bed beside him and slid her fingers through his hair to help with the knots, grabbing her brush off the vanity. "A lot. It's the way it is in the Indies. After the shows, there's a lot of partying and drinking and drugs…" When his head snapped to the side to stare at her, Anciana actually dropped the brush and held her hands up. "I don't do drugs, I promise you that. I told them that's a line I'll never cross. So, I drink and dance and try to fit in the best I can because I don't wanna be an outsider." She reached down to grab the brush and Mark grabbed her chin, emeralds boring into saddened, bloodshot crystalline. "I haven't drunk today. I wouldn't do that for my mother's burial, in case you were wondering or worried…"

"Good way to have a very short career, darlin'." He admonished softly. "Liver failure tends to end everything."

Mark had his partying days and drank more than his fair share, but with his weight, he metabolized it better than she did. Maybe paying to open some doors for her had been a bad idea, it didn't look like he was doing her any favors. Her career was her own; she had done that, he had just made sure she had the chance to prove herself.

"Mmm… you need more water, less alcohol in your life, Ciana." Before she killed herself because he wasn't attending her funeral next.

"Do you want me to be really honest?" He wouldn't like hearing what she said next, but since he still cared about her, she figured he deserved to know the truth. "When I first started drinking, it was to forget about you, to numb the pain I was in. And once I left the WWF and went off on my own, I…I did it to fit in as I said, but it was also to get over what happened. You were right about me fighting against who I became without my memories versus who I am with them. It was…overwhelming and a lot to take in, but…I finally got to a good place, or so I thought. You said I wasn't living when I was in Vegas. I worked out and trained, that was pretty much my life…and you weren't wrong. So, I've been trying to change that and live it up, just not the right way, I guess." The tears started up again as she grabbed his hand, knowing she would probably be dehydrated by the end of the day due to all the crying she did. "I'm supposed to go back tomorrow morning and…I don't know if I wanna do it anymore if I wanna go back. It's all I have going for me right now and, honestly, I resent it. I resent wrestling because it's lead me down a dark, lonely road and now…my Momma is dead. Because I probably strained her heart too much when I left 18 years ago…and caused her to have congestive heart failure…" She started crying harder, blaming herself entirely for her mother's death. "I-I'm sorry Momma…I-I'm so s-sorry…"

"Darlin', she died of congestive heart failure, not a broken heart." He affirmed gently, reaching out to pull Anciana into his arms.

She buried her face in his chest and he hoped she had more of his clothes laying around because he could feel her tears soaking the thin material. Mark had driven his wife to alcohol; he wasn't very good at being a husband, not that it was what he had set out to do. Hell, he hadn't even managed his original goal of screwing up Steve Austin. Instead, he had screwed up the twin.

"Stop it now, Ciana, before you make yourself sick." First step was to keep her sober for more than a day or two, that'd help.

Sitting sideways on his lap, Anciana once again clung to him and shed her tears, her emotional distress, all over him. His command didn't fall on deaf ears as she tried to calm down, tried to stop crying, but her chest heaved and the pain she felt was overwhelming. It took her a while, but Anciana finally did calm down and sagged against Mark, still not believing he was here with her. He'd leaned his shoulder for her to cry on, his chest, every part of him and Anciana realized how much she still loved him. Her love did not cease, even with how angry she was at him, even with how much she hated him for what he put her through…love still remained. Pushing herself up, Anciana wiped her tears away and felt him stroke her hair, kiss her temple again and comfort her just like he had in the car earlier.

After sitting awhile, just caressing and stroking her, Mark finally moved Anciana, so she was sitting on the bed. He pushed himself upright and made his way to the nearest bathroom, retrieving a fresh washcloth from the neatly folded stacks and it hit him just what this family had lost. Something he hadn't had, but he could also sympathize. After wetting it down, he returned to Anciana, crouching down before her and began cleaning her face. It was hard to believe that just 6 months ago, he had attempted 'embalming' her and she had concussed him in retaliation with a shovel. Anciana let him clean her up, tilting her head when he directed her to and she looked better afterward, but…her swollen eyes couldn't be helped. Mark also brought her some water to drink, worried about her hydration and she drank it without a fuss.

"This reminds me of Houston. You taking care of me all over again."

He had to the best of his ability, especially in the beginning. The bubble bath came to mind where he'd been a complete gentleman and hadn't even snuck a peek. While she was in the hospital, he'd done the same thing and helped her any way he could, doing anything she asked of him. Reaching out, she stroked his beard, missing the goatee, but he looked sexy with this too. Wow, now was NOT the time to drive her head into the gutter.

"You've always taken care of me. I was just too stupid to realize and see it."

"Sometimes." He agreed, knowing telling her the extent of his meddling in her life was probably not in his best interest. Not unless she roundhoused his head off or something. Mark grabbed her hand, gently prying her fingers away from his beard. "It took me quite a while to grow this out, woman." He chided with no actual malice, taking her by the hand and pulling her up onto her feet. "Think you could hold something light down, Ciana?" She needed to start eating again or else she would burn out again soon.

"Yeah, nothing heavy though. Probably one of the finger sandwiches or something like that." Anciana admitted softly, lacing her fingers with his and let him guide her out of the bedroom downstairs to where the luncheon continued taking place.

Some people had left, they were up there a lot longer than she intended, but Anciana needed to break down and release her emotions. It was the only way to get through this, so the healing process could begin. Mark sat her down, instructing her to stay put while he went to get her some food, promising to return shortly.

Steve approached his twin, letting his brothers know he'd handle Taker and sat down next to her. "Everythin' okay?" Had Taker told her about the marriage secret yet?

"Yeah, it will be in time. Please be nice to Mark. I'll…I'll explain later, okay? How's Dad holding up?"

Steve frowned, lowering his head and sighed. "He's in his study and won't come out, though he's let people in to send their condolences and shit. He's…not in a good way right now, Anci. I'm worried 'bout him."

"His heart is broken, Stevie. It takes time to heal from this kind of loss."


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

"You, of all people… wasn't expectin' you to come."

How in the hell had he gotten shoved into this line? With a plate of food in his hand no less? Sighing, Mark knelt down before the chair a despondent Ken sat in, this way the older man didn't need to look up. He balanced that plate of food on a massive knee, observing the whiskey in hand.

"I wanted to pay my respects, sir."

Ken made a noise, neither good nor bad, taking a slow sip, his hand shaking. "She was my best friend…"

"A damn fine woman, sir."

"Hell yes, she was, finest in the county." Ken sounded proud for a moment. "She loved callas."

"Anciana said as much." Ken looked like he needed less whiskey in his life and more food too. He made a mental note to never go down the grieving route; it looked miserable and Mark didn't like being miserable. "She sent this in for you."

He eyed the plate, groaning. "If I don't eat it, will you lie for me?"

"With all due respect sir, no."

"Just… just enough to settle my stomach. All these damn people! I know they mean well, but… goddamn it…" Ken eyed his glass, then Mark. "A refill?"

"After a few bites. How about I get your kids and you guys can have a little quiet time?" When Ken finally nodded, he stood up. Damn it, now he had to get all those Williams spawns rounded up and Ciana a new plate.

When Mark came out and explained what her father said, Anciana was shocked at one: her father didn't shoot first and ask questions later and two: her father was actually going to eat, but wanted all these people out of the house. "Okay, will you help me? We'll need to work together to get everyone out and then Daddy can have some quiet time with us. Stevie…"

"On it, kid. I'll let Kevin and Scott know."

"Okay." She took Mark's hand again, walking around and thanking people for coming, explaining the luncheon was coming to an end. Everyone ate and drank their full, it was time to go.

"Now you let us know if there's anythin' ya need."

"Make sure ya put the food away, ya don't need help with that?"

"Get some meat on them bones and we'll check in with Kev tomorrow…"

It took 20 minutes, but soon the house was quiet with just the Williams and Mark. He stuck to his promise and stayed by her side, and she wasn't letting him leave without her. Walking into the study room, Anciana was shocked to see her father had eaten a couple of bites of food.

"Daddy, here's some water." She set the mug down in front of him and kissed the top of his head. "I'm gonna go clean up the kitchen with the boys and then we'll come in here with ya, okay?" When he just nodded, she walked out with Mark into the kitchen, the smell of it bringing tears to her eyes. Those tears instantly vanished because…there was A LOT of food. "Holy shit."

What the hell were they doing? Mark eyed the kids, frowning. "Go be with your Daddy." The man had been waiting well over 20 minutes now. When they all looked at him like he had grown another head, he rolled his emerald eyes. "This shit will wait, he's not going too, go on."

As much as Steve hated it, the man had a point. They were all grieving and putting off time with their desolate father to clean. "He's right." That felt weird as hell and him and Taker both exchanged surprised looks. "Come on, guys." He cocked a blonde brow when he realized what Mark was about to do. The Undertaker was going to clean up… he needed a camera.

"Mark…" Anciana groaned when he pushed her through the kitchen doorway and into the study, all four kids looking awkward and not knowing what to say. "Daddy…we're here. We're here for you, okay?" She nodded at Mark, who stood in the doorway for a moment to make sure they were all going to stay put before heading back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.

"I know, baby girl, I know…" Ken murmured quietly, holding up his glass and begged for a refill. "I ate and drank the water. Now I need somethin' stronger, please."

"Comin' right up, Dad." Steve took the glass, filled it with whiskey and put it back in the man's hand. Today of all days was a surefire reason to drink. "Glad you ate somethin'."

"Momma would've been proud of you," Kevin muttered, scrubbing a hand down his face and looked at his sister, so many different emotions splayed across his face. "So, nobody is gonna address the elephant in the room?"

"Kevin…" Anciana's tone held warning. "Not today. Please, not today." She knew her brothers and father were probably wondering about Mark being here, after what he did to her, but she didn't feel like getting into the day of her mother's burial.

"You love him." It wasn't a question coming from the old man's mouth and all eyes turned on him. "Anciana, it's okay to admit it, baby girl. Yer Momma…was so damn stubborn with me." He chuckled, the sound both uplifting and sad at the same time. "It took me a while to get her to admit how she felt for me. Months, in fact. I knew the minute I laid eyes on her, the second, she was it for me. She was my rare flower and…my best friend…" Ken swallowed hard, taking the handkerchief from his pocket to dab his eyes. "Do you feel that way 'bout Mark?"

Several long minutes stretched by as Anciana stared down at her Daddy, who had hold of her hand before she nodded with tears sliding down her cheeks. "Yeah…yeah, I do. H-He took care of me after the accident…he swore to me he didn't mean to hit me with the car and he was on his way to see me when it happened. It really was an accident. He said he found out about me and was curious, so that's why he tracked me down. I'm sure, at the time, he didn't have very good intentions in mind, but…he's done so much good in my life. He brought me back to you guys, back home, where I belonged all along." Her eyes moved over to Steve. "He reconnected me with my twin brother and made me realize how foolish I was for ever leaving in the first place. He bought Momma all those calla lilies for the funeral too…and he's been here the entire time, not just today. He was at the visitation and the burial, but he stayed out of sight to keep the peace. He's never hurt me, not physically, never once struck me down or belittled me. And he's a horrible Monopoly player." That made her laugh tearfully. "When I was recovering from what happened and didn't have my memories, I'd wake up every morning to fresh flowers he picked for me and he made sure I always had them fresh, even if he wasn't home. I could talk to him for hours and him never tired of it, never showed he was annoyed with me because I'm sure I repeated myself a lot. And I could never get tired of hearing his voice either. In a way, I was dying in Las Vegas and in his own weird, albeit violent, way, he brought me back to life."

Ken nodded, kissing his daughter's hand and swallowed hard, hoping Beverly was looking down on them watching in approval. "THAT is a best friend and a soulmate, baby girl. That's not someone to let slip through yer fingers, you hear me? I just want you happy again. All of you, I want all our kids to be happy, no matter who it's with."

"Daddy…" Wrapping her arms around his neck, Anciana felt him pull her onto his lap sideways and held her close, both crying together over revelations and grief.

Steve had excused himself. They had been in there quite a long time and, for some reason, it was not surprising to find the house back in order and all those casseroles packed away in the freezer. Grunting, he opened the fridge, taking note of leftovers labeled and ready to go for the next few days. He shuffled until he found a beer, then grabbed a second and headed out the back door.

"The Undertaker's house cleanin' service do toilets too?" He asked, dropping down into the porch swing, opposite side of his coworker of course. Ken and Beverly had big boys, so it was reinforced.

"No." He took the beer. "How's your Dad?"

"He'll pull through, he's a tough sumbitch."

"He gave his blessin' in there…and I had to leave cause it was makin' me nauseous." Steve grunted, leaning back against the swing and took a long swig of his beer, sighing heavily, resignedly. "I guess you chose to fight for her. You need to tell her 'bout the marriage shit, still give her an out if she wants one. But if yer stayin' in the family, I'm only gonna warn ya once: you hurt her again and I'll kill you. See all this land? Plenty of ground to bury a body and really make you a dead man. You got me?" He patted the man on the shoulder when he nodded, glad they'd come to somewhat of an understanding. "And uh, thanks for cleanin' up and shit."

"I've never lied to her about the marriage bit." Mark pointed out calmly, taking another drink from his own longneck. "She's the one who refused to believe it and why the fuck are you bugging me about this?" He had cleaned the house; their mom had just died and why was everyone up his ass about Anciana? "And you're welcome, dickhead." Some things would never change.

Chuckling, Steve felt marginally better that they were still in a like/hate medium because he'd never be full-fledged friends with the Undertaker. No fucking way in hell! "I'll bug you 'bout whatever I want, and you'll deal with it if yer stickin' around." No malice was in his tone, just pure truth. "And I know you didn't lie to her 'bout the marriage. Hell, she's just as stubborn as our Momma…" Steve's voice cracked as soon as he said that last word and he had to lower his head, closing his eyes to will the tears to stay in. He cleared his throat gruffly, looking up as the screen door opened as his brothers walked out to join them with beers of their own. "Stacy home with the kids, Scotty?"

"Yeah, she's exhausted and so are they."

Mark had to wonder just how many nieces and nephews he now had, listening as the men began talking quietly among themselves. It came as a bit of a surprise when one of the brothers, Kevin, asked him if he had any children. "Not… that I'm aware of." He answered hesitantly, not entirely sure if he was comfortable with being 'included'. "I'm hoping one day your sister can help with that."

"WHAT?!" Steve spewed beer out of his nose, cursing a blue streak at the burning sensations while both Kevin and Scott laughed their asses off at him. "Rotten jackasses! No, NO! She's not…NO! Fuck my nose!"

Scott couldn't help laughing at his dipshit brother. "Man, if Anci wants to have kids, you can't stop her. Hell, they'll probably be giants and we can make a football team…" He had all girls, 3 of them, no boys and was dying for more nephews to corrupt.

None of them knew that Anciana had reproductive issues and she had a slim chance of having a baby.

Everyone was up his ass to inform Anciana she was actually, technically, married but nobody knew about her fertility issues. Considering he and Anciana had just seen each other after a long 6 months and their time before that had been less than polite, he figured his comment about kids would've been perceived as the joke it was. Not taken seriously. Come to think of it, all those times they'd had sex, and nothing… and Mark knew she hadn't been on anything. As far as he knew, he didn't have any bastards out there, so maybe he needed to get his boys checked. This visit was turning out to give him a lot more to think about then he had anticipated.

After putting her father to bed, after prying the glass out of his hand, Anciana walked out of his bedroom and nearly ran into Mark. "Jesus, you scared me. You really should wear a bell." She spoke quietly, placing a hand over her racing heart and cracked a smile when he did. Having a good long cry with her father did wonders, though Anciana would be lying if she said she wasn't exhausted. It'd been an exhausting day…and only going on 3 in the afternoon. "He's sleeping. I convinced him to eat a dessert with me, just a small piece of cake while you were outside with my brothers. They didn't give you a hard time, did they?"

"Of course, they did, they're your brothers." Mark remarked with a slow smile, having not really expected any less.

Though maybe not THAT kind of a hard time. He had been expecting to get his ass handed to him or something. Mark knew Anciana had probably told them what a scumbag he was. Hell, he'd never deny it and, if by chance, she did decide to remain married to him, he was putting copies of the buried alive and embalming thing in their home video collection.

"Come outside with me, darlin'." They needed to talk.

The seriousness in his eyes and voice made her stomach twist, wondering what was on his mind. Was he leaving? There really wasn't much left for him to do besides…be here with her. Anciana took his hand, walking down the stairs together and outside on the porch. Steve, Kevin, and Scott were watching a football game in the living room, keeping it down so they didn't wake their father up. It was just them out here as the rain continued to fall, though it looked like it was starting to let up.

"So, what's on your mind?"

"We're legally married, Anciana."

There was no beating around the bush on it and Mark was a bit tired of people informing him he had to set the record straight. It wasn't his fault she didn't believe him. Rain was letting up, that meant fog would be rolling in, seemed fitting. At her expression, he smiled somewhat.

"You thought it was a scam, a lie… it's not, darlin'." She had gone and changed her last name back to Williams, too. "I just… with everything going on, thought you should know."


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Several emotions crossed her face, some good and some bad, but confusion is what won out from all of them. "No…no, the doctor told you to lie to me about being married. There was never any ceremony at a chapel or anything like that…" Why was he screwing with her and continuing to play this game? "I'm not…understanding any of this…" Frowning, Anciana turned around to wrap her arms around herself, staring out at the long stretch of land and took a deep breath. "Look, I'm not mad at you anymore. I got over what happened, all of it, and I just want a clean slate…" He turned her around, or rather whipped, by her upper arm to lock eyes. "Mark…"

"Anciana, I've told you," He said patiently, about to tell her all over again. "At the time, the doctors weren't able to guarantee that you'd regain your memories, it was very… slim. Not to mention, nobody expected you to bounce through physical therapy like you did. That doctor, Horris, wanted to make sure that you were going to be taken care of, in the event that the worst outcome was the only outcome. And a legal marriage was the only way to guarantee you had proper insurance, not to mention other benefits." Well, legal enough he supposed. That was a secret Paul would probably take to his grave. The man was a genius, no doubt about it. "Cameria wasn't able to care or provide for you, you were estranged from your family…. I didn't plan on fallin-" Mark clamped his mouth shut quickly.

"But there was NO ceremony, there was NO…marriage…license…"

Anciana felt her breathing accelerate and her knees grew weak as she stumbled back into the swing, planting down on it. The look of pure shock on her face spoke volumes and Anciana opened and closed her mouth several times, but no words came out. The marriage license…the paperwork he had her sign while she had amnesia flowed through her mind, remembering how much her hand hurt after it was all over.

"Oh my god…" She covered her mouth with her hand, slowly looking up at the man she loved and, apparently, was actually married to. "You're…you're actually my husband. That means I'm actually Mrs. Calaway." So how the hell did she manage to change her driver's license back to her maiden name? "You made our marriage real…why would you do that? What if I would've never gotten my memories back, Mark?"

She had been able to change her license and all that fun stuff back because nobody cared what last name a person had. It was just a tradition to change it, a courtesy as it were. "Honestly?" He groaned when she nodded, seeing the steel flash in her crystalline blues. "Without you knocking my ass out?" Because she could probably do it. At her less firm nod, Mark took the plunge. "Several reasons. One: because I really, really hated your brother." Still did, just not to the point where he wanted to kill the bastard. It was comfortable hate. Familiar. "And he hated me, so… it was a way of getting to him. Second, what if you never got your memories back, Ciana? I took that from you, so the very least I could do was try to give you some good new ones." Mark had totally failed doing that. "I am… not a good person, we both know that, but as a general rule, I am… fairly honorable." Point in case, he could have torched her parent's house easily today and just been done with the entire Williams clan, saved himself some grief.

The truth hurt, it stung, but at least he was honest with her, finally, after all this time. Mark would never get over what happened with Julia; that much was obvious. He hated Steve and the feeling was more than mutual with her twin. Everything Mark had done to her was because of his deep-seated hatred for her brother. He didn't love her, probably never did and that hurt her more than words could say because Anciana DID love him. She wouldn't knock him out because there was no reason to be violent. Maybe he was a good person, deep down inside, but Mark let the evil, sinister part of him override that goodness.

"Thank you for telling me the truth." Anciana had no idea what to say to him and had cried enough today to last her several lifetimes. "You did give me some good memories, like Monopoly and…I'll never forget them, hopefully." She would also never be able to play that board game again as long as she lived.

Mark stepped up and took her into his arms, pulling her flush against him. "Stop overthinking it, Ciana." He ordered, right before kissing her.

The kiss was explosive and reminded her of the first actual kiss they shared together in Houston. Anciana had barely sucked in a breath before his mouth plundered hers and she melted in his arms, wrapping hers around his neck to press their bodies together. The passion haze clouded her mind, pushed all the thoughts she'd had out and only focused on how this man made her feel with just a kiss. She felt him lift her from the porch to wrap her legs around his waist, holding her against him with sheer strength and moaned in his mouth. The second her mouth opened for him and their tongues touched, tasting each other, Anciana shivered and felt the heat roll through her body. No man had ever kissed her like this, though there was only a couple prior to Mark that got the privilege. Her fingers delved in his black hair, enjoying the feeling of his Satan beard against her chin and felt him lower onto the swing with her straddling him, the kiss never breaking.

"Hey," Steve slapped Mark upside his head. He guessed they were too busy sucking face to notice he had come out. "Show some respect, our Dad is grievin'." And sleeping, but that was neither here nor there.

"Ass." Mark hissed, tipping his head back to look up into that stupid goateed face. "What do you want?"

"Oh right, we wanted to know if you were stickin' around." Apparently, Mark was good for Anciana. Steve needed a beer. Today was just sad, depressing and messed up. At the raised eyebrows, he frowned. "I meant for the rest of the day, both of you." Because Anciana was a bit on the squirrelly side.

He shrugged when his wife looked at him. Was it wrong to want to take her somewhere private and do wicked things to her only hours after her mother had been buried?

"I um…what?"

Anciana was dizzy from that kiss as she blinked several times, not expecting her asinine twin to come out here and ruin their moment. Granted, he had a point about their Daddy, but Daddy was currently out for the count and probably would be the rest of the day, as long as her brothers kept it down. "Y-Yeah…yeah, we're uh…wow. Sorry." She really wanted to slap herself and then slapped Steve when he rolled his eyes at her, on the arm since she loved him. "We'll be in…in a minute…a couple of minutes." They had to finish talking if they could keep their lips off each other for more than a couple minutes.

Snorting, Steve headed back inside, muttering under his breath about horny kids and their Daddy being asleep in just the other room.

To help with the 'keeping lips off each other' problem, Mark moved her off of his lap and stood up, turning to adjust the raging erection he was now sporting. Jeans and hard-ons didn't mix. He hadn't touched another woman since Anciana had left, married and all that; well, he was pretty sure he hadn't. Mark had gotten rip-roaring, blackout, don't remember a thing drunk, twice. "He's so charmin'…" The bald ass.

"Charming, my ass." Anciana tried to get her cheeks to stop burning, knowing she was flushed from head to toe and had to take several deep breaths, suddenly thirsty. "I need some water. Do you want some water? Yeah, water, I need water."

She hightailed it inside the house, making sure not to let the screen door slam shut since the spring on it broke some time ago and pulled bottled water out of the fridge, downing half of it. No other man had touched her since Mark, and she didn't count that sloppy drunken kiss from Devin either. She had bottled water for Mark as well, not even turning around because his presence could be felt from miles away.

"We'll stay here for a little while longer and then leave, if you want. I still have my room until the morning or we can go to your hotel. I'll leave it up to you."

"Just like that?" He questioned, taking the water when it was held out and twisted the cap off, a brow raised. "Maybe somewhere a little less… somewhere where I'm not going to fuck you three ways from Sunday, Ciana." Blunt was always good.

"Oh, that was gross…"

"Steve, check your twin."

"Ain't goin' out there."

Even Mark had some lines. They needed to talk, sort out what the hell they were going to do, what they were, and having sex with her on such an emotional day felt like taking advantage. Knowing Anciana, she was liable to see it the other way, but… Anciana wasn't always the most rational. Not with him for good reason, he supposed. Anciana started laughing, trying to keep it down, but the look on Mark's bewildered face was hilarious and priceless.

"Whoa, whoa slow down there, Deadman, I didn't mean sex. We're not even CLOSE to that point right now. We need to talk – a lot – and there's not gonna be any hanky-panky going on until we get a few things settled. Just cause we're going to a hotel, whether it be yours or mine, doesn't mean sex is gonna happen." Draining the rest of her water, she could hear her brothers all breathe a collective sigh of relief and shook her head, flipping them off even though they couldn't see it.

"Yeah darlin', you tell yourself that now, but a second ago I could practically feel your panties soaking and my seams threatening to split." He shot back, nailing them both and grinned when she shrugged one shoulder. Mark could hear her brothers all cursing and it wasn't related to the football game they were watching either. He began laughing, covering his mouth to keep it down.

"All right, get the hell out you two. It's football, that's SACRED." Because… Texas.

That made her laugh harder as she bid her brothers goodbye, hugging them and promised to keep in touch. She still had no idea if she was going back to Germany or not; it would depend on how her talk with Mark went. Anciana took his hand and walked out of the house, seeing the fog had rolled in after the rainstorm. It smelled amazing outside and was still warm, so there was no need for a jacket. Texas weather never ceased to amaze her.

"Momma…" She whispered, closing her eyes and felt the breeze pick up for a minute, knowing it was her. Her spirit would always be with them, Anciana fully believed that and tightened her grip on Mark's hand.

A few minutes later, they were on their way to his hotel since he didn't ask where hers were. True to who he was, his room wasn't a hotel, it was a motel above a local bar because… beer, lots of beer and bourbon. Mark had blacked out twice on Jack Daniels, so… he was swearing that off for the next 6 months. He took the back way up, guiding her through the grungy hall before unlocking the door and stepped in. It was neat enough, clean, and no bugs, thankfully. Hell, it wasn't even evening yet, this day seemed to be going so weird. Fast and then slow. Sad and tears, then laughter and happiness. He supposed that was how these days just went.

It wasn't nearly as nice as the rooms he'd gotten for them in the past, or rather Paul did. Or maybe his name was Bill? She didn't know anymore, that was still confusing to her. The bed looked clean enough and, if Mark slept on it, she trusted his judgment. Sitting down, Anciana watched him walk around to check the crevices of the room, wondering why he was so paranoid. Then, she caught something out of the corner of her eye and walked toward his bag, the gold sticking out unmistakable. Reaching out, she pulled out the WWF world title, remembering when Steve wore it, only… it wasn't the smoking skull belt. It was the eagle design, the original and she held it in her hands before slowly looking up at Mark, eyebrows furrowed together.

"When did this happen?" She asked softly, setting the belt back down on his bag and took the cup of water he handed her.

Her hands were on his baby! Mark eyed her, walking over to put the belt back at the bottom of his bag, under t-shirts, where it wouldn't get scuffed. He hadn't held the ultimate gold much in his WWF career, which was quite frankly depressing because of his tenure. The fact that he usually went above and beyond for the company, including jobbing and putting others over was another reason he deserved the strap.

"Not too long ago, darlin'." Steve's belt was still with Steve, that had been a customized item. "Your brother didn't tell you?"

"No. When I left, he never mentioned anything that happened in the company. Probably didn't want to upset me, but…congratulations." Anciana could tell how protective he was of the title and the fact she touched it didn't sit well with him. That was fine, she understood and went back to sit on the bed, clasping her hands in her lap. "So…we're married…we've always been married." She summarized, watching him nod and swallowed hard, still trying to come to terms with that. "I'm really trying not to overthink this, but I need you to tell me what happens next. Where do we go from here?"

Mark shrugged, dropping down into the only thing to sit on besides that bed, an old, overstuffed chair and drummed his fingers on the armrests. "You tell me, darlin'. This has always been in your hands." Hell, this woman did what she wanted come hellfire and brimstone, even if he had interfered a few times on her behalf, just to smooth her way. He was a meddling bastard, he knew that. "I don't want you going back to Germany." He did know that much. She was going to wind up drinking herself into an early death.

"I don't want to go back there either." She admitted, keeping her voice low and soft, hating that he'd put this all on her.

It was all up to her, huh? This was entirely in her hands and she thought back to what her Daddy said. Deep in her heart, she knew Mark was her soulmate and she wanted to be with him.

"I don't want to get divorced either." That was a confession she really hoped didn't come back to bite her on the backside. "I-I know I haven't been that easy to get along with and I'm stubborn." They were a lot more alike than she ever realized. "I want to try to make this marriage work…if you do. I'm not ready to give up yet…"

Mark nodded, finally beginning to smile. "Good."

He doubted he would've easily granted her a divorce anyway. Mark had already decided, a long time ago, he wouldn't be letting her go. Namely, the night she had finally given herself to him and he had learned about her virginity. Definitely going to be a one man woman for the rest of her life.


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60

"No more concussing me, woman." He then added, eyes narrowing. "No more shovels." Because his wife had a wicked swing. That was something to brag about, minus him getting laid out.

"As long as you don't drug me anymore, or make me think you're going to bury me alive or embalm me alive or run me over with another car, we should be fine."

Her own eyes narrowed back at him, deciding if he could throw what she did to him in his face, she could do the same thing. They both started laughing simultaneously together, and she was convinced they'd either gone off the deep end or they were certifiably insane. Either way, it worked for them, she supposed. The laughter died down as Anciana tried gathering up the courage to bring up the next topic.

"I didn't want to say anything, but…I overheard what you and my brothers were talking about on the porch…about having children. There's something we need to talk about…regarding that. It might even…change your mind about the marriage and I wouldn't blame you."

Considering this woman had gone above and beyond to drive him out of his mind and had a major hard-on for spousal abuse, Mark highly doubted he was about to change his mind over whatever she had to say. "You don't want any?" He asked, figuring she might feel that way, at least right now.

Her mother had just been buried. They had just technically reconciled. She had a career to get back too. He could see how kids were not on the agenda right at this moment.

"Or just not right now? Because that's fine, darlin'." He was still on the fence about children and had wanted one with her, to knock her up… for the wrong reasons.

"No, I do." Anciana took a deep breath and placed a hand over her stomach, unable to meet her husband's eyes. "I can't, Mark. I've had…problems since my teen years with um…my ovaries and uterus. It's something called endometriosis and…it prevents pregnancy from happening. I have a very small chance of conceiving a child because of it…and occasionally, I get cysts on my ovaries. It's just…something I've dealt with most of my life and…I just don't think kids are in the cards for me…for us." It was obvious Mark wanted children someday and, if she couldn't give him any, would that put a huge strain on their marriage? "I-I'm sorry, I should've told you sooner, but…the topic never came up while I had amnesia. The only reason I knew about it was because of Cameria. She explained it to me while I was in the hospital. I had the doctors do some testing, extra testing, to make sure she was telling me the truth and…she did."

Mark simply stared at her, his face blank, but his mind was going a mile a minute. How in the hell had he missed that? He had poured over her hospital paperwork, well… he had Paul do it and was told about the important bits. Apparently, Paul hadn't considered that tidbit important, the fat fuck. He considered it, finally clearing his throat.

"If and when the time comes, darlin', we can always look into other options." They could do a surrogacy thing, or adopt, but right now, kids weren't in the cards, so… they had time.

"I just wanted you to know, and make you aware, that I may never be able to give you children."

Anciana felt his hand lift her chin, to where their eyes met, and he was in front of her on one knee, holding her wedding ring between his thumb and forefinger. It was the same ring she threw at him at Summerslam, when her memories had returned, because of his chokeslam. Hell, she didn't even know if it was the chokeslam or if it was an act of fate. The baby situation didn't bother him, he was understanding and loving about it, which made her love him even more.

"You held onto it this entire time?" Her voice cracked as he took her left hand and slid the ring back where it belonged, the diamond sparkling under the dim lighting. "Do you have yours still?"

"Course I do. It's in a box in my bag." Mark wasn't putting his back on until he knew she was going to keep hers. "I'm not worried about kids at the moment, darlin', and if down the road, once we both have our shit straight," They both had a lot of problems they had to sort out both together and on individual levels. "There are plenty of options." His sperm, her egg, someone else's body for example. Hell, that was definitely a viable path and would allow her to keep her career.

"Okay well, if I'm wearing mine, you should wear yours."

Anciana touched the side of his face, stroking his skin and once again fingered the beard, still getting used to it. This time, she softly kissed him, repressing her passion because sex was the last thing that should happen between them. Not yet, not today, tonight, any day except the day her Momma was buried and laid to rest.

"I love you, Mark." Hugging him around the neck, Anciana breathed him in and closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of him with her again. "And I've missed you." There, everything she felt was laid out, all of her cards gone, and the ball was entirely in his court.

"As you should." He rumbled, a mix of arrogance and relief lacing his tone as he lifted her up into his arms, cradling her against him, his face burying in her hair. "I love you too, Anciana." Mark whispered, knowing she heard it because he could feel her body shift from almost tense and nervous to relaxed.

His game had backfired, drastically, on himself. He hadn't expected to fall in love with his bait. Mark also knew, with as mercurial as he was, they were going to have a lot of ups and downs in their marriage, a lot of waves, and he would bet money a lot of it would stem from his and Austin's ongoing rivalry.

Once again, she read his mind and pulled back to stare into his eyes, pressing a kiss over each brow. "Whatever happens between you and my brother, I'm staying out of it. I love you both, but I understand you will never see eye to eye with each other. I don't want to be used against him or vice versa." Hence her demand not to try burying her alive with the camera rolling or embalming, anything like that. "I just want to be your wife…and I promise I won't get involved in your business with my brother. I'm not even in the WWF anymore, and I don't know what I'm going to do now that I'm not going back to Germany." She would figure it out, but right now, she had to make sure Mark understood where she was coming from.

"Just so we're on the same page, darlin', when I um… buried you, or made it look like I was going to, those pillows were there for a reason." He informed her, figuring that had probably haunted her for a while. "And the embalming thing, I wouldn't have done that either." At her look, he snorted. "Woman, we were sending that live on national television. Give me a little more credit. If I wanted to kill someone, I wouldn't do it on live TV." He was a bit slicker than that. "Not to mention, the trouble I'd have, MORE trouble, with the fucking censors."

She smacked him on the arm twice before kissing him again, this time a little harder and deeper. "You scared me to death that night. When I fell into the grave with the pillows, I knew you weren't really going to do it, but…Paul went overboard with the whole drugging. I was sick for a couple of days afterward." Anciana could not hold anything down due to the ether still filtering through her system for 3 straight days. "It took me…a while to come to grips with what you were doing. You were sending a message to my brother and I get that, but never again. Please, don't ever use me like that again." She rested her forehead against his, keeping her arms draped around his neck. "I'm sure you and Paul can find another way to mess with his mind besides using me. You're creative that way."

"The original dose was meant for your brother, not you. He calculated it on Steve's weight. You weigh… quite a bit less." It was actually pretty amazing she hadn't had to go to the emergency room or something, now that he thought about it. "Darlin', the only way I'm making that promise is on the condition that you mind your own business in that ring. If you come back, I get you have a character to play, but you went above and beyond." Mark would never trust her with a shovel again. "If we have to work together, or against each other, as it were, we go over everything beforehand."

"No offense, but I don't want to work with you. I'm not sure being in the WWF is the right road for me either. I don't think Vince will let me back in any way after I told him to shove the last contract up his ass." Anciana wasn't worried about it right now and knew there was a lot of healing to be done between them. "I'm sorry about the shovel shot. That was…Steve's idea and, at the time, I know he was playing on my hatred for what you did to me." She could strangle her brother now that she had time to think about it. "That's why I went to the mental institution you were going to send Kane. I had to make sure you were okay, and you got out. He still doesn't know about that." And never would. "I was worried about you…and I regretted what I did to you that night, believe it or not. I never want to see you hurt or in pain of any kind. Sorry about the kick to the chest too."

"No, you're not. You're only sorry now because we're back together." He chuckled, kissing Anciana's temple. "Vince may… he can be reasoned with."

It wasn't like he had lost too much money, Mark had paid all the stupid termination fines and fees. He had told Anciana he would from the get-go, after she left and done so to prevent Vince from being a cock and going after her. That would've been insult to injury.

"I don't want to work with you either, truth be told. You're a distraction and not relevant to my character." He began laughing at the look on her face, dropping another kiss on her head. "If you want to come back, come back… show Vince videos of your matches. You can be more than the sister of Steve Austin, Ciana."

That was highly doubtful because Anciana saw, firsthand, what Vince thought of the women in his company. They were used for sex appeal and nothing more. Bra and panty matches, evening gown matches, ridiculous arm wrestling contests, and bikini contests…the list was endless, but NONE of it showcased what women were TRULY capable of. In the Indies, they gave women a chance to have actual matches, probably due to the fact they were televised, and people actually wanted to see women wrestle and perform moves men did. It was crazy how different the worlds were. Then again, if she wasn't in the same company as her husband, they would hardly see each other, so that was also something to consider.

"If Vince offers me another shot, I'll take it and hopefully, he doesn't put me with Steve again. I just want my own identity in the company, as much as I love Anca, I want to make my own way, my own legacy. Working with you and Steve isn't gonna do that for me, again, no offense."

"None taken because I agree with you."

Women in the WWF did have talent, it was a shame they weren't able to show it off more often. He could just imagine Anciana locking up with the likes of Luna Vachon, or Jacquelyn… made him smile. Anciana knocking Sable's stupid head off her equally stupid shoulders made him smirk.

"Eventually, the women will be seen as more than just eye candy. Sadly, darlin', it's going to take some pioneers to forge that path."

"Even if that path involves me in bra and panties matches?" Anciana giggled at his growl, knowing he was possessive over her.

Mark would have to get over that if she came back to the WWF, however. Walking out once wouldn't be tolerated a second time, if Vince even gave her a second chance. She would have to do exactly as she was told, do the matches without complaints and toe the line, be a team player.

"Or evening gown matches?" Another growl, followed by planting her on the bed with him hovering over her and she laughed again. "Or bikini contests? Photoshoots wearing sexy lingerie?" Sex…that's all Vince saw when he looked at women in the WWF, especially his number one, Sable. "You'd really be okay with me in those types of matches?"

"Not like I'd have much of a choice." Mark growled, then smirked, nuzzling her neck. "Besides, it's all mine… now, isn't it?" Yes, yes it was. "If you have to wrestle in a stupid match, make the most of it, make Vince eat his fucking words, darlin'." Not like she wouldn't be getting paid big bucks for showing her beautiful body off. "Pudding and jello matches are also a thing." He informed her with a grin.

"Don't tell me that!" Anciana groaned out, which quickly turned into a moan as Mark assaulted her neck with his lips and tongue, his big hands caressing her sides. "And yes, it's all yours. It's been yours. I-I haven't been with anyone else since you, Mark." Another confession she hoped she didn't regret. "I tried…being with someone else in Germany, but…I couldn't. I sent him packing because you're all I thought of. In time, you were pushed in the back of my mind and that's why I drank and partied as much as I did. It was the only way to forget you, even for a little while. You are literally the only man I've had sex with."

"And I'll be the last." He vowed almost darkly, biting at her throat a little harder than necessary before pulling away. Someone in Germany, he didn't like that. Mark was tempted to ask if it had been some local or a coworker, but… he already knew that was a no-go. "What happened to the drinking and partying to fit in with the others?" He cocked an eyebrow at his wife, pulling away from her a bit, so he'd stop assaulting her. "Not that I'm not pleased the mere memory of me drove you to such lengths. It means I left an impression." Also, he would be eyeballing her drinking habits from here on out. The Williams clan were all drinkers, he had noticed that several times.

"That too, both reasons. Half was trying to get over you and coming to terms with who I am, and the other half was drinking and partying to fit in. I'm done with drinking. Once in a while, I'll have a beer or something, but…I'm done with the heavy shit. I gotta get back into shape the right way instead of eating junk and drinking alcohol like it's water."

The guy wasn't too happy with her for turning him down, it had been right before she'd received the call about her Momma dying. Maybe it was that news that deterred her from sleeping with him, but something told it was divine intervention. She wasn't meant to be with any other guy besides Mark.

"And yes, you left a very big impression and ruined me for other men. I hope you're happy, handsome."

"Fucking thrilled, beautiful." He replied with an arrogant smirk, standing upright and reached down to pull her up as well. "Let's go grab a bite to eat, Ciana."

Next order of business, getting his wife back on track. She was still beautiful, but letting things go and he wasn't having that. Mark had invested way too much time, energy and money into her for her to be letting things slide. That and he was starving, his appetite back in full force.

"Come on, darlin', we'll just go downstairs."

"Okay."

Sometimes, life had waves – up and down, lifting and crashing – and it was up to that person to choose which wave to ride on for the rest of their life.

The End.

 ****I know this took a long time to post with everything that's gone on in my life this past year, but those who have stuck with me through this adventure, I want to say a special thank you. You guys have kept me going, believe it or not, and there are is plenty left in this tank with stories. Writing helps me heal and I love each and every one of you for your kind reviews, words of wisdom and even criticism. They have all made me a better writer as the years go by the longer I do this. So thank you! Now, onto the next one!****


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